- Published
The bombshell statement landed at 16:00 BST on Thursday, 30 July.
asserted
statement → publish → Thursday
In terms of impact, European football's governing body Uefa could not have gone any bigger.
uncertain
body → go → impact
"Uefa and its national associations will not participate in Fifa competitions," it said.
asserted
it → participate → competitions
A company it is intended Fifa will run but that will be part-funded by private investors, including the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Joshua Kushner.
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that → intend → law
What happens now?
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What → happen → ?
It feels as though no-one who matters knows how this situation is going to play out just yet.
"Not sure the detail was considered when deciding the overall policy," was the response from a senior European football source when asked what this decision means for the U20 Women's World Cup, starting on 5 September, being hosted by Poland and featuring plenty of European nations.
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decision → feel → nations
Uefa's boycott threat will be activated if Infantino's funding deal is accepted.
asserted
deal → activate → ?
Given 19 September is the deadline for countries to accept Fifa's deal and bank $20m (£15m) on 1 January, in theory, countries could be pulling out of that tournament in the middle of the quarter-finals and before the semis.
uncertain
countries → give → semis
After that, the next senior matches in a Fifa competition are the Women's World Cup play-offs in October, which feature England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland among others.
asserted
which → feature → others
"Wales is involved in the play-offs for the Women's World Cup in the autumn, and it would be our first qualification for a World Cup," Uefa vice-president and ex-Wales international Laura McAllister told BBC Radio 5 Live.
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McAllister → involve → Radio
"Nobody can even countenance the thought of not being involved in those.
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Nobody → countenance → those
"But let's be clear here.
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's → let → ?
It's a problem that Fifa have created.
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Fifa → create → that
Nobody wants the players to suffer, and nobody wants nations to suffer when it comes to the most prestigious competitions.
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it → want → competitions
"We've been pushed into this corner and that's Fifa's responsibility."
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that → push → corner
Can Infantino survive?
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Infantino → survive → ?
No-one can be certain what happens now.
asserted
what → happen → ?
And no-one knows what the future for Infantino is.
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future → know → Infantino
Uefa's statement was followed up by another from Concacaf, which governs football in North and Central America and hosted this year's World Cup, saying their 41 members rejected the proposals.
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members → follow → proposals
She spoke out against the plan at Uefa's emergency meeting on Thursday.
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She → speak → Thursday
The FA said it stands "shoulder to shoulder with our European colleagues" on the matter.
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it → say → matter
The Scottish FA's statement said the organisation "agrees unequivocally" with Uefa's stance.
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organisation → say → stance
The repeated responses from those who have spoken out are of fury at the lack of proper consultation and lack of dialogue from Infantino, including with his Fifa colleagues, as much as with the proposals themselves.
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who → repeat → proposals
"Anger," said one source, when asked for the prevailing mood at Uefa's emergency meeting.
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source → say → meeting
Fifa, meanwhile, has released a new statement claiming consultation over the proposals "was disrupted by incorrect media reports".
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consultation → release → reports
It added: "We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation...
"Nobody is selling football.
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Nobody → add → football
This is not something Fifa would ever entertain."
asserted
Fifa → entertain → ?
Infantino became Fifa president in 2016 when he beat Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa by 115 votes to 88.
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he → become → 88
The Swiss is due to stand for a fourth term in March.
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Swiss → stand → March
Prior to this week, it had been anticipated he would be re-elected unopposed.
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he → anticipate → week
FAs around the world, including some in Europe, have already confirmed their intention to support the 56-year-old.
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FAs → include → old
But sources say in addition to rejecting Infantino's plan, the vast majority of the Concacaf members are either losing faith in the Fifa president's ability to govern the game, or have lost it altogether.
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majority → say → it
The name of Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been mentioned.
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name → mention → Khelaifi
Previously known as the European Clubs' Association, Al-Khelaifi took over as chairman in the aftermath of the other seismic event that threatened to pull the game apart - the ill-fated European Super League, which collapsed within 48 hours in 2021.
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which → know → 2021
Al-Khelaifi presided over a name change - to European Football Clubs.
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Khelaifi → preside → Clubs
More importantly, he expanded it to over 800 members.
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he → expand → members
Of the biggest clubs, only Real Madrid remain outside.
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Madrid → remain → clubs
In theory, he would be the best person to challenge Infantino.
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he → challenge → Infantino
But he doesn't want to.
asserted
he → want → ?
"He genuinely, genuinely, genuinely doesn't want the job," was the response of a source close to the 52-year-old when asked about the possibility on Thursday.
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response → want → Thursday
…and 16 more, not listed.
