A bruising 24 hours - what next for Fifa and under-pressure Infantino?

On Tuesday morning, Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, found himself in a precarious position as he attempted to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investment firms, without informing anyone else about his actions. UEFA, FIFA's fiercest critic, dealt the final blow on Thursday by threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, in light of Infantino's plan. This move presents an unprecedented opportunity for UEFA to oust Infantino, as it is the most prominent chance they will ever have.

Other federations, such as CONCACAF, which worked closely with Infantino to organize the 2026 World Cup, have called for a full review of FIFA's leadership due to Infantino's actions. Additionally, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has also shunned him. Infantino was further abandoned by two of his closest allies - senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro and chief operating officer Kevin Lamour. In response to Infantino's backtracking, UEFA delivered a strong statement, expressing its loss of confidence in him.

The power dynamics have shifted significantly. UEFA has now lost confidence in Infantino's leadership at FIFA, raising questions about the future of the organization's president. It remains to be seen what steps will be taken next, whether Infantino will resign, be forced out through an emergency meeting, or face an extraordinary congress of the 211 FIFA member associations, all of which would take considerable time to achieve.