England defender Lucy Bronze said European players would support a potential boycott of FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, amid an ongoing conflict with the global governing body.
The 34-year-old spoke ahead of Chelsea's friendly match against Auckland scheduled for Saturday in New Zealand. Bronze stated that preserving the future of football is more important than participating in major events.
Bronze said the message supported by players and European competitions is that action must be taken for the good of the sport. She added that European players stand by their beliefs, stating that if protecting football requires boycotting competitions, then that is what must happen.
She emphasized that the issue extends beyond the current generation of athletes. Bronze said the stance is for the future of football and for all the girls and boys who come after, ensuring they are in a good situation as the sport advances over the coming decades.
UEFA Demands Further Guarantees
The comments from Bronze came a day after UEFA confirmed that its threat to boycott FIFA tournaments remains standing. FIFA president Gianni Infantino dropped a plan to sell a commercial stake in the World Cup to private investors and apologized for the proposal, but UEFA stated in a Thursday release that the apology changes nothing.
The European governing body reiterated that it has not recovered trust in Infantino's leadership. Although canceling the investment project satisfied one of UEFA's demands, the organization stated that a second condition has not been met, requiring guarantees that similar proposals will not be presented again in the future.
Impact on Upcoming Tournaments
The dispute could directly affect British national teams. England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Ireland are set to play in October in the playoffs for the 2027 Women's World Cup qualifiers.
The first major test of UEFA's position could happen next month during the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland.
