Nandy: Women's football should not suffer over potential Uefa boycott
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says women's footballers should not be penalised by a possible Uefa boycott of next month's Under-20 Women's World Cup, as host nation Poland says it has had no withdrawal notices.
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has said women's footballers should not be "penalised" if Uefa goes ahead with a threatened boycott of Fifa competitions, which could affect next month's Under-20 Women's World Cup. Uefa and its 55 member associations have warned they may boycott Fifa events in response to Fifa president Gianni Infantino's plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup.
Poland is set to host the U20 Women's World Cup from 5-27 September. Several other Uefa nations are also due to compete, including England, Italy, Spain, Portugal and France.
No withdrawal notices so far
The Polish Football Association (PZPN) told BBC Sport on Tuesday it had not received any information about a possible withdrawal by any participating team. The association said it expects the current situation to be resolved soon, allowing young players from around the world to compete in Poland, and stressed it remains focused on providing the best possible conditions for all teams, noting the tournament is an important career milestone for many young players.
Last week, the French Football Federation confirmed its intention to take part in the U20 World Cup. The Portuguese Football Federation also told BBC Sport that its Under-20 team is currently following its planned schedule, including a friendly match against England later this week.
England's Football Association has yet to confirm whether it will send a team to the World Cup, though coach Lydia Bedford's young squad is continuing its preparations for the tournament.
