Uefa’s Continued Dissatisfaction
Uefa has stated that Fifa‘s backing of its president, Gianni Infantino, “changes nothing” regarding its position. The European governing body indicated that European teams might still consider boycotting competitions, including the World Cup. This follows Fifa‘s management board expressing “full support” for Infantino after his plans to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors were abandoned.
Uefa had previously declared a loss of confidence in Infantino, describing the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal.” The organisation’s conditions for reversing its stance have not been met, despite the withdrawal of Infantino‘s plan. These conditions included the complete withdrawal of proposals to sell off major competitions and assurances that such attempts to “disfigure the game” would not be made again.
The English FA has formally withdrawn its support for Infantino‘s re-election, which is scheduled for March 2027. This decision was made in response to the plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. The global players’ union, FIFPRO, also condemned what it termed an “abuse of presidential power” by Infantino and called for changes at the top of Fifa.
Internal Reactions and External Support
Fifa acknowledged “mistakes” regarding the FFE proposal during a meeting, stating it was “not the intention” for the Fifa Council and member associations to “feel excluded from the process.” However, Uefa views this meeting, attended by members of Fifa‘s management board, as a gathering of employees whose careers are tied to the president’s favour, thus changing nothing.
Secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, who had previously criticised the FFE proposals in an internal memo, was pictured alongside Infantino at a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match. Other attendees at the meeting included finance chief Thomas Peyer, legal chief Emilio Garcia Silvero, chief of staff Daniel O’Toole, chief of member associations Elkhan Mammadov, and media relations director Bryan Swanson. Notably, Fifa‘s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, who strongly criticised Infantino‘s plan, was reportedly not invited to the meeting.
While Uefa seeks direct accountability for the controversy, other confederations have shown support for Infantino. The Gambia Football Federation president, Lamin Kaba Bajo, praised Infantino‘s “courage” and offered his support. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) “unanimously reconfirmed” its support for the president, thanking him for his contributions to African football and endorsing Fifa‘s statement.
Potential Boycott and Future Challenges
Uefa‘s primary leverage remains the threat of a boycott of Fifa tournaments. The organisation has maintained that its conditions for reversing its stance have not been met. The first test of this stance could come at the Fifa Women’s U20s World Cup, which is scheduled to feature six European countries, including England.
The possibility of a vote of no confidence is also an option for Uefa, which could be triggered via an extraordinary congress. However, this would require a majority of Fifa‘s 211 member associations, specifically 106 votes, to pass the motion. Such a vote would effectively serve as a presidential election without a second candidate.
FIFPRO has called for governance and structural reforms to prevent any individual from driving unilateral decisions in football again. The union also warned against portraying legitimate scrutiny as disloyalty, stating it would only deepen concerns. Fifa, in turn, has stated it “will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity” and will take measures to protect its reputation. Infantino had offered all associations $40m (£30m) if they backed the private investment proposal.
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Source: bbc.co.uk
