Gianni Infantino’s week has gone from bad to worse, with the FIFA president continuing to face criticism. While there were some criticisms of his handling of the 2026 World Cup, notably allowing political interference from US president Donald Trump, the saga has exploded following controversial plans to allow private investment into FIFA tournaments.
Infantino quietly announced a U-turn on the much-maligned proposal over the weekend, but the storm is yet to quieten down. UEFA have led the pushback against the Swiss-Italian, with key figures from the governing body of European football having called for his sacking.
That has intensified after fresh reports revealed that Infantino had taken a bizarre approach to try and secure money from financial institutions. According to The Athletic, Infantino would often keep his own management team out of the loop and, in their place, sent legendary former World Cup players to try and woo the big-time bankers.
Regardless, it’s a plan that has fallen flat on its face, with key FIFA aides having walked out of the organisation, while Infantino’s presidency has been left hanging by a thread. It comes ahead of next year’s FIFA presidential election, with suggestions UEFA are now pushing for an alternative candidate to challenge Infantino.
A statement from UEFA over the weekend read: “We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them to account.
“It is right that, in the coming days and weeks, Uefa will work with its associations and in close cooperation with other confederations to reflect on how this happened and devise a plan to make sure that it cannot occur again. That review should be thorough and fundamental. No option should be off the table. The current Fifa leadership has not only lost Uefa’s confidence, but also that of many other members of the football family.”
The English FA backed UEFA and, in a statement, said: “We fully support Uefa’s position. It is time for a full and robust review of Fifa’s leadership and governance to ensure that the global game is run transparently, for the benefit of all 211 member nations and with the long-term stewardship of football at its heart!”
A challenger to Infantino will have to be selected soon, as candidacies have to be announced before the end of the year. Infantino had previously expected to be ushered in for another term without challenge, but that could change ahead of March’s scheduled election.