Aug 11 - New Zealand have joined France in confirming they intend to compete at next month's Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland, as the tournament prepares to become the first FIFA event staged amid the backlash against global football chief Gianni Infantino.

It will be the first FIFA competition since UEFA's 55 member associations unanimously voted to support a boycott of FIFA events after Infantino proposed and then abandoned a plan to carve off the commercial rights to the World Cup and sell 20% of them to private investors to raise about $4.2 billion.

That triggered a massive football governance dispute.

"New Zealand Football is sending a team to the U20 FIFA Women's World Cup in Poland next month, the tournament is critical in the development for the women's game," a New Zealand Football spokesperson told Reuters on Tuesday.

France became the first nation to confirm participation in the 24-team tournament.

"For now, France will be participating to the FIFA U20 Women World Cup," the federation said.

England's Football Association and Canada Soccer said they had no comment at this time, while U.S. Soccer is expected to attend the tournament. The federation declined to comment.

BOYCOTT THREAT

UEFA doubled down on its boycott threat last week.

"UEFA's associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non participation in FIFA competitions," the European football federation said in a statement.

"These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on (July 30) that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's presidency. That position holds."

A Reuters source close said during weekend discussions between the confederations that there was an acknowledgement that there might need to be talks down the line about alternative tournaments.

"Those talks have not yet been h...