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UEFA has reiterated that its loss of confidence in FIFA president Gianni Infantino stands and a boycott of competitions such as the World Cup may still go ahead according to a statement from the European governing body. The English FA sent a letter withdrawing its previous support for Infantino’s re-election in response to the now-abandoned plan to sell stakes in FIFA tournaments to private investors the organisation confirmed. The Athletic reported that both the English and Welsh FAs have now formally pulled their backing while ESPN noted the move adds to mounting pressure on the FIFA leadership. UEFA’s conditions that the proposals be fully withdrawn and assurances given that similar attempts would not be repeated have not been satisfied the statement added.
The controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal would have allowed private investment in events including the men’s and women’s World Cups and offered each of FIFA’s member associations $40 million in exchange for their support according to details released by the world governing body. FIFA acknowledged mistakes in how the process was handled during a meeting on August 5 and said it was not intended to exclude the FIFA Council or member associations a FIFA statement indicated. The plan was scrapped after strong opposition including a UEFA vote to boycott World Cup and other FIFA competitions if it proceeded ESPN reported. UEFA described the original idea as a shabby back room opaque deal in an earlier announcement.
Internal FIFA criticism included a memo from secretary general Mattias Grafstrom who called the events a sad and reproachable series of events according to reports obtained by the BBC. FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour told colleagues the project was that of one person and expressed willingness to lose his job over his stance though he later declined further comment a source familiar with the matter told ESPN. Infantino convened a meeting of the FIFA management board in Rabat on August 5 where mistakes were acknowledged and an apology issued but no direct personal accountability was assigned UEFA’s assessment found. The gathering included finance chief Thomas Peyer and other executives but notably excluded Lamour according to participants quoted in multiple outlets.
Several confederations have expressed continued support for Infantino following the controversy. The Confederation of African Football said its executive committee unanimously reconfirmed its backing and thanked Infantino for his work with African football a CAF statement released on August 6 showed. CONMEBOL and the Argentine Football Association issued letters rejecting any processes outside FIFA’s institutional framework while the Mexican federation voiced similar backing according to their public announcements. Only Jordan has publicly stated it will not support Infantino’s re-election in March 2027 with CONCACAF stopping short of withdrawing confidence a review of regional statements compiled by CNN indicated.
UEFA is considering options including calling an emergency FIFA Council meeting or triggering a vote of no confidence that would require support from 106 of FIFA’s 211 member associations according to the body’s statutes. Finding a unity candidate to challenge Infantino such as CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani has also been discussed within European circles a source close to the discussions told Reuters. The European body has kept the boycott option on the table though exercising it risks appearing to override the global majority PA Media reported. FIFA is expected to announce new funding distributions to member associations by the end of 2026 which could influence voting ahead of the election.
Infantino has served as FIFA president since his election in 2016 and oversaw the expansion of the men’s World Cup to 48 teams starting in 2026 according to official FIFA records. His presidency has featured significant revenue growth for the organisation with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar generating more than $7 billion a figure published in FIFA’s financial reports. The current dispute marks one of the most serious challenges to his leadership with UEFA maintaining that broader consultation with the FIFA Council was lacking in the investment proposal a point emphasised in its August 1 statement. The next major test comes with the FIFA Women’s U20 World Cup scheduled to begin in Poland on September 5 involving six European teams including England.
The English FA’s letter marks a significant shift given its prior support for Infantino during his previous re-elections in 2019 and 2023 according to records from past FIFA congresses. UEFA has called for a full review of the events with no option off the table including potential legal action a position outlined in statements to multiple outlets including Yahoo Sports. FIFA has been approached for further comment on the ongoing tensions but had not responded as of August 7 a BBC inquiry confirmed. The developments have highlighted divisions between European football and other regions over governance and transparency in the world game.
