Media: UEFA Chief Boycotted World Cup Final to Show Displeasure

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin deliberately skipped the recent World Cup final to express his dissatisfaction with FIFA, according to reports from The Times and The Telegraph.

The relationship between European football's governing body and world football's governing body has been strained, with several incidents during the tournament exacerbating the tension. One key point of contention was FIFA's decision to overturn a suspension for American player Folarin Balogun. This reversal reportedly occurred after U.S. President Donald Trump asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to reconsider the player's ban.

UEFA strongly criticized FIFA's decision, labeling it a capitulation to political pressure. The European body declared that FIFA had crossed a "red line" and described the decision as "unprecedented, incomprehensible, and indefensible." This incident occurred even before the tournament began, highlighting existing friction.

Further contributing to the strained relations were issues such as the travel ban imposed on Somali football referee Omar Artan, preventing him from officiating at his first World Cup. UEFA subsequently appointed the 34-year-old Artan to officiate the European Super Cup. Other reported grievances include ticket prices, discussions about expanding the tournament to 48 teams, the implementation of drink breaks, and the treatment of the Iranian national team during the World Cup.

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unprecedented, incomprehensible, and indefensible