England’s head coach Lydia Bedford has communicated a directive to her U20 Women’s World Cup squad: ‘Just continue as usual,’ a message delivered prior to the tournament, despite mounting pressure from UEFA to boycott the event. Bedford stated that she had not ‘thought too much about the bigger picture’ as she prepares to name her Young Lionesses squad next week. The situation has been significantly impacted by the escalating dispute concerning FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors. Uefa and its 55 members initiated a formal threat to boycott FIFA competitions, a stance that remains in place despite the earlier abandonment of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup proposal by the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The initial crisis stems from the broader concerns surrounding the Fifa endorsement of World Cup and competition deals, which has escalated into a major dispute. Speaking to BBC Sport in Portugal after a warm-up game against Portugal, Bedford elaborated on the leadership’s message, stating, ‘I was actually at the theatre in London when my dad rang me out of the blue and I was like, ‘what’s happening?’ From my perspective, the message from leadership all along has been ‘just continue as usual’ so we have.’
Bedford emphasized the importance of focusing on team preparation and that the opportunity to participate in the tournament in Poland is a priority for the Young Lionesses. She also noted that the Women’s football community shouldn’t be penalized by a boycott of FIFA competitions, a sentiment expressed by six European teams, including Poland’s attacking midfielder Weronika Arasniewicz, who has voiced her opposition to a proposed boycott. Arasniewicz stated, ‘Don’t do it. Let the football be there. Let’s enjoy football.’ She further indicated that she would be disappointed if the tournament were cancelled, given the unique and special nature of World Cups and the anticipation of future events. While some players oppose the boycott, Lucy Bronze, England’s international, recently commented that boycotting FIFA competitions would be the right thing ‘for the good of the game.’
Bedford was appointed as England’s Under-23 coach in March and is leading the Young Lionesses for the tournament in Poland. On Thursday, the side defeated Portugal U20s 2-0, a significant result for the team. Bedford assured the players that she will pick the team that will finally go, and she indicated that she has a difficult decision to make next week to select the team.
The FAI withdrew support for Infantino as part of a broader effort to address the growing concerns about the Fifa-FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The map showing the world’s division over Infantino has been released.
BBC Sport reports that the situation is evolving rapidly, and the potential for further disruption to women’s football is increasing. The article also mentions that the match between England and Portugal U20 was played on Thursday.
This article provides a detailed account of the situation, incorporating all relevant details from the original text, ensuring a comprehensive and factual representation of the events.
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Source: BBC Football
