European football's governing body has rejected Fifa's defense of president Gianni Infantino, saying his acknowledgment of mistakes over a failed plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors falls short of their demands. UEFA has not ruled out a boycott of major competitions.

UEFA has rebuffed Fifa's attempt to resolve the controversy surrounding a shelved proposal to privatize stakes in World Cup tournaments, insisting that critical conditions remain unmet. Following a meeting in Rabat on Wednesday, Fifa acknowledged that "mistakes" were made regarding the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) subsidiary scheme and stated the process "should have been handled differently." However, UEFA declared this response insufficient, emphasizing that formal assurances against future similar attempts must be provided alongside full withdrawal of the proposals.

The English Football Association has withdrawn its support for Infantino in response to the failed privatization scheme, which had offered member associations $40 million each if they backed the investment plan. UEFA previously labeled the FFE proposal a "shabby, back room, opaque deal" and stated it has lost confidence in Infantino's presidency. The European body remains skeptical about the nature of Wednesday's meeting, noting that attendees were primarily Fifa employees whose positions depend on the president's favor, and questioning whether Infantino faced meaningful accountability regarding key details such as who was involved in the proposal and whether competitive bidding occurred.

Infantino appears to be consolidating support globally despite European opposition. The Gambian Football Federation president praised the U-turn on Thursday, while South American confederation Conmebol indicated it would not support actions that bypass Fifa's established mechanisms. Only Jordan has publicly committed to voting against Infantino's re-election in March. UEFA is exploring multiple options to challenge the president, including triggering a vote of no confidence that would require 106 of 211 member associations' support, finding an alternative candidate to oppose him, or proceeding with a threatened boycott of competitions including the Women's U20 World Cup beginning September 5th.