UEFA, other football federations unite against Infantino
A few weeks ago, Gianni Infantino looked set for another unopposed term as FIFA president. Now, with an election looming, the beleagured football executive is counting the numbers and could be hanging by a thread.
Three major football confederations - UEFA (Europe), CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean), and AFC (Asia) - have united in an open letter aimed at President Gianni Infantino of FIFA. The letter criticizes Infantino's scrapped plan to create a subsidiary arm of FIFA to sell off parts of its commercial operations to investors, stating that it was a "fundamental breach of trust".
Further, the letter lambasts Infantino's unilateral actions, bypassing FIFA's executive council for his proposal and holding a summit with only selected senior figures. The confederations accuse Infantino of placing himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority. While the letter suggests that there may be enough votes within the confederations to oust Infantino at the presidential election in March 2027, it seems unlikely given the mixed support within UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC.
South American confederation CONMEBOL has yet to take a clear stance, and Oceania federation has not yet made its position known. African confederation CAF, however, has given Infantino their unconditional support. The next step for Infantino is likely to be finding a candidate who can unite the world of football against him, and who recognizes the sport as a duty of service.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
