Uefa’s 55 member associations have united to threaten a boycott of Fifa tournaments unless Gianni Infantino abandons plans for private investment in the World Cup. The unusually broad agreement strengthens Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin’s position, but remains fragile as Fifa is expected to pressure individual associations before its September deadline.

Fifa has issued “clarifications” while maintaining its proposed 19 September timetable for the Fifa Forward Enterprise plan, which Uefa members believe was developed without proper consultation. European frustration was also heightened by Fifa’s intervention in Folarin Balogun’s suspension, reportedly following calls from Donald Trump, and by concern that financial incentives could divide smaller or mid-sized national associations.