Aleksander Ceferin did not attend the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain because of UEFA’s growing dispute with FIFA. The decision followed a series of flashpoints during the tournament, despite Ceferin having attended the opening match in Mexico City.
A central issue was UEFA’s anger after United States forward Folarin Balogun avoided suspension following an intervention by US President Donald Trump, according to the source report. The disagreement sits within a wider clash over how FIFA has handled disciplinary processes and competition rules during the World Cup.
UEFA is also opposed to several FIFA-backed changes, including extended half-time entertainment and the possibility of a 64-team World Cup. The final’s entertainment programme lengthened the interval well beyond the usual break, while UEFA intends not to adopt similar shows in the Champions League or European Championship.
Other points of tension include ticket prices, refereeing access issues and differing approaches to VAR and player conduct rules. The broader question for European football is whether UEFA and FIFA are heading into a more open institutional confrontation over the future shape of the game.
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