Canada stand firm on Poland youth World Cup as FIFA boycott row escalates

Canada Soccer says it will take part in next month’s FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup in Poland, becoming the third national association to confirm its plans despite growing calls in Europe to boycott FIFA competitions.

In a statement reported by Reuters, Canada Soccer said its position had not changed and that the team would continue preparations to compete at the tournament.

Canada’s decision follows similar announcements from France and New Zealand. They are the first associations to break their silence since all 55 UEFA member associations unanimously backed a proposed boycott of FIFA events in a historic vote.

The dispute centres on FIFA president Gianni Infantino and a controversial proposal to separate the commercial rights to the World Cup and sell 20% of them to private investors for $4.2bn. Although Infantino later withdrew the proposal, it triggered a serious loss of confidence between FIFA and UEFA.

The Polish Football Association, which is hosting the tournament, has attempted to reassure supporters and participating teams that preparations are continuing as planned.

“Preparations for the tournament are in their final stages,” the Polish association told Reuters. “We have not received any information about the possibility of any team withdrawing, and we believe that the current situation will be resolved quickly.”

It added: “For many of these young players, this tournament represents an important stage in their careers, and we are committed to providing an event worthy of their talent.”

UEFA renewed its threat to boycott FIFA competitions last week, saying it no longer trusted Infantino’s leadership because the conditions it had set for reform had not been met.

The United States is also still expected to compete in the 24-team tournament, although its football association has not publicly stated its position.

The women’s game is among the first areas to face the consequences of the increasingly open conflict between FIFA and UEFA. Attention is already turning to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Morocco in October.

The tournament could be affected by the same dispute, while European national teams are also preparing to begin qualifying for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Canada’s confirmation therefore offers some clarity for the Poland tournament, though it does not resolve the wider disagreement between the global governing body and European football. France and New Zealand have also indicated that they will participate, leaving the boycott threat unresolved as FIFA events involving women’s national teams approach.