England U20 World Cup Boycott Uncertainty

England’s Under-23 head coach Lydia Bedford says the Football Association has told her to keep preparing as usual for the next month’s Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, even as UEFA threatens to boycott the tournament entirely. Bedford, who must name her Young Lionesses squad next week, said there is still no clarity on whether England will be sent. She learned of the dispute while in London at the theatre, following a brief message from leadership to “carry on as usual.” The wider conflict traces to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in World Cup competitions, though that proposal was later scrapped.