Fifa criticises campaign to oust president Infantino

Fifa has harshly criticized what it describes as a coordinated and persistent campaign aimed at tarnishing the reputation of its organization and its president, Gianni Infantino. This statement came in response to a Daily Telegraph report which alleged that Infantino's lover received a severance payment from Uefa following a relationship that occurred while he was Uefa's general secretary. Infantino vehemently denies these claims, asserting they are entirely false.

Fifa has now directed its own ire towards unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims, emphasizing that speculation and insinuation should not be presented as fact. Infantino has faced growing pressure from Uefa and other European football associations due to his aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. Under FFE, a new company would have been formed to manage commercial and ticketing rights, with 21% of shares sold to a private investment company.

Uefa has expressed its loss of confidence in Infantino, while NFF president Lise Klaveness has called for his resignation.

Fifa maintains that Infantino was democratically elected by the organization's Member Associations and that he continues to serve with their mandate. The governing body asserts that some are attempting to undermine it and its president through unsubstantiated allegations and misinformation. It reiterates that those lacking support from Fifa's member associations should not attempt to achieve their goals through such means.

Opposition to Infantino largely originates from within Europe, with the Mexican Football Federation supporting him despite his affiliation with Uefa. Infantino has also received unanimous backing from the 54 nations of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

In response to the criticism, Fifa has released a statement on behalf of Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom. The statement apologizes for the FFE proposal but asserts that any attacks on Fifa's integrity, good governance, and due process will no longer be tolerated. The organization welcomes legitimate scrutiny but warns against the distortion of facts, amplification of unsubstantiated allegations, or creation of distractions intended to undermine progress. Fifa will challenge inaccurate or misleading reporting directly and vigorously.