England defender Lucy Bronze has thrown her support behind a potential Uefa boycott of Fifa competitions, arguing that the stance is necessary for the long-term wellbeing of football even though women's football would likely suffer the earliest consequences.
The standoff between Uefa and Fifa stems from Fifa president Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell stakes in football competitions to private investors. The plan prompted a backlash from Uefa's 55 member associations, who voted to boycott all Fifa competitions unless the proposal was scrapped. Infantino has since abandoned the plan and apologised for what he described as his "errors," but Uefa indicated in a statement on Thursday that the boycott threat remains active.
Women's football is set to be hit first if Uefa follows through on its position. The Fifa Under-20 Women's World Cup is due to begin on 5 September, with six European nations - England, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and host nation Poland - among the teams scheduled to compete.
Speaking during Chelsea's pre-season tour in New Zealand, Bronze acknowledged the difficult position players find themselves in but insisted that standing firm was the correct course of action.
"I think the players who play in those competitions, the European players, we stand by our beliefs and what the right thing is for our game," Bronze said. "And if that means boycotting competitions, then that has to happen."
She framed the issue as one that extends beyond the current generation of players. "It's for the future of the game and not just for me today and tomorrow," she said. "It's for all the little girls or little boys who come after us to make sure that they're in a good place when the game's moving forward in decades to come, not just tomorrow."
The timing of the dispute is particularly sensitive given the packed international calendar this autumn. In October, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland are all scheduled to play qualifiers for next year's Women's World Cup in Brazil. Should those nations be barred from participating in play-offs as a result of the boycott, several European sides - including reigning champions Spain - could miss out on qualification for the tournament, which kicks off in June.
Also affected would be the Under-17 Women's World Cup, planned for October in Morocco.
Former England defender Anita Asante warned last week that the disruption would likely hit women's tournaments hardest. "The first casualties will be women's football tournaments," she told BBC Sport. "If this isn't resolved by the time of England's qualifiers, then the impact could be huge and it is already a busy schedule."
Baroness Campbell, the former Football Association director of women's football, echoed those concerns, calling it "tragic" that women's football could bear the brunt of the fallout first.
The rift between football's governing bodies has already prompted individual reactions from national associations. The English FA has written to withdraw its support for Infantino, while Wales, Albania, and Croatia are among other federations that have distanced themselves from the Fifa president.
With major women's tournaments looming in the coming months, the resolution - or continuation - of the dispute between Uefa and Fifa could have significant consequences for European nations' participation on the international stage, adding further uncertainty to an already congested competitive calendar.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.