UEFA chief Ceferin reportedly skipped World Cup final amid FIFA tensions

PARIS: UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin did not attend the World Cup final in what British media described as a boycott intended to signal dissatisfaction with FIFA.

Ties between European football's governing body and FIFA have been strained during the tournament. One major point of friction was FIFA's decision to lift a suspension for United States forward Folarin Balogun before a World Cup match against Belgium after US President Donald Trump asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the red card. UEFA objected strongly to the move, saying FIFA had yielded to political pressure from the host country.

UEFA described the action by FIFA's disciplinary committee as unprecedented and said it had gone beyond acceptable limits. The disagreement added to broader concerns in Europe about political influence over sporting decisions during the competition.

Another issue highlighted was the treatment of Somali referee Omar Artan. FIFA was said to have failed to secure his entry into the United States after US authorities denied him permission to enter the country. UEFA later appointed Artan to officiate next month's Super Cup final.

FIFA could not ensure Iran received the same treatment as other teams playing in the United States. Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said his side were the most oppressed team at the World Cup, while US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said he danced a happy dance when Iran were eliminated.

Differences also emerged over several tournament rules and innovations introduced by FIFA. UEFA has so far declined to adopt measures including hydration breaks, the mistaken identity VAR protocol and yellow cards for players who cover their mouths while speaking to opponents. The mistaken identity protocol was involved in the sending off of Breel Embolo during Switzerland's quarter-final defeat to Argentina.

Ceferin had also publicly criticised the expanded 48-team format before the tournament began. Speaking to a newspaper in Slovenia, he said:

"We have a lot of matches that are completely uninteresting."

He has also spoken against World Cup ticket pricing. UEFA has said it will retain two fan first ticket categories for the 2028 European Championship in the United Kingdom and Ireland. 40 percent of tickets will either cost less than 30 pounds, equal to 35 euros or 40 dollars, or less than 60 pounds, and UEFA has also pledged not to use dynamic pricing.

Ceferin was present at the tournament's opening match in Mexico City on June 11, but did not attend the final.