England’s involvement in the Fifa Women’s Under-20 World Cup remains in doubt, with the Football Association unable to provide a comment when asked by BBC Sport whether the team will take part. The tournament in Poland is due to start in 29 days.
The uncertainty stems from a Uefa-led boycott, triggered after Fifa president Gianni Infantino announced plans to sell stakes in competitions to private investors. Europe’s 55 member associations voted to boycott all Fifa competitions until the proposals were dropped. Infantino has since apologised for his “errors” and the plans have been aborted, but Uefa said on Thursday the boycott could still go ahead.
France, one of six European nations scheduled to compete alongside England, Italy, Portugal, Spain and hosts Poland, have confirmed their participation. “For now, France will be participating to the Fifa U20 Women World Cup,” the French Football Federation said. Poland are scheduled to face Argentina in the opening match on 5 September.
Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze, speaking in New Zealand on the club’s pre-season tour, backed the principle of the boycott. “I think the players who play in those competitions, the European players, we stand by our beliefs and what the right thing is for our game,” she said. “And if that means boycotting competitions, then that has to happen. It’s for all the little girls or little boys who come after us to make sure that they’re in a good place when the game’s moving forward in decades to come.”
Former England defender Anita Asante warned last week that women’s football could bear the brunt of any unresolved dispute. “The first casualties will be women’s football tournaments,” she said. Baroness Campbell, former Football Association director of women’s football, described it as “tragic” that women’s football could be first to be affected.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
