Divisions Emerge Over Leadership
The football world is experiencing a deepening divide following calls for Fifa president Gianni Infantino to resign. This comes after his abandoned proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. While Norway has explicitly called for his departure, other nations like Mexico and Argentina have publicly expressed their support for the 56-year-old president.
The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) president, Lise Klaveness, stated on Friday that Infantino lacks the institutional trust necessary to govern Fifa effectively. Klaveness highlighted that there is “no going back” for Infantino and that international football cooperation is “very much in trouble.” The NFF intends to ask for his resignation through dialogue with Fifa, rather than requesting an extraordinary Uefa board meeting.
Norway’s stance goes further than other football associations, including those of England, Wales, Croatia, and Albania, which have withdrawn their support for Infantino without explicitly demanding his resignation. Klaveness, a qualified lawyer, has previously raised concerns with Fifa during her four-year tenure, including questions regarding tournament awards and the inaugural Fifa peace prize.
Among the issues raised by the NFF were the awarding of tournaments and the overturning of a ban for American forward Folarin Balogun during the recent World Cup, reportedly following a phone call from US President Donald Trump. The controversy surrounding the proposed sale of commercial rights to the World Cup and other Fifa events has intensified the backlash against Infantino.
Confederations Take Different Paths
The Mexican Football Federation (FMF), a co-host of the recently concluded 2026 World Cup, has broken ranks with its regional governing body, Concacaf, to support Infantino’s leadership. Concacaf, which oversees football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, had called for a “comprehensive reckoning” of Infantino’s presidency after the aborted plans.
The FMF’s statement affirmed its support for Infantino’s leadership in promoting football development through institutional strengthening. This mirrors a statement from Conmebol, South America’s governing body, which indicated it would reject any attempt to remove Infantino without a vote involving all 211 Fifa members. However, Conmebol also expressed concern about “repeated unilateral actions taken without resorting to dialogue.”
The football association of 2026 World Cup runners-up Argentina has also praised Infantino, acknowledging his recognition and apology for “errors.” Argentina’s association described his decade-long tenure as Fifa president as being “centred on the development of soccer worldwide and institutional strength based on a clear, stable, and transparent governance model.”
Infantino continues to receive unanimous backing from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which is the second-largest body in global football with 54 members. CAF President Patrice Motsepe is a long-time ally of Infantino, and securing the continent’s full support strengthens Infantino’s position against immediate challenges and his bid for a fourth presidential term.
Conversely, European football’s governing body, Uefa, and Concacaf remain in opposition. Uefa has stated it has lost confidence in Infantino, describing the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal.” European teams could still boycott the World Cup if Uefa’s conditions are not met, despite the withdrawal of Infantino’s plan.
Upcoming Election and Support Dynamics
The deadline for presidential candidates to be put forward, along with at least five letters of support from member associations, is 18 November. The election, conducted by secret ballot, is scheduled to take place at the 77th Fifa Congress in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 March.
Infantino, who replaced Sepp Blatter in 2016, successfully argued that his initial three-year term should not count towards the maximum of three four-year terms, allowing him to seek re-election. He was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023, and before the FFE controversy, a similar outcome was anticipated for 2027.
Uefa and other opponents now face the challenge of finding a candidate to stand against him. Infantino has historically built support by travelling globally and meeting with member associations. His investment programme, Fifa Forward 3.0, which provided national associations with up to $8m in its latest four-year cycle, concludes in December. The announcement of Fifa Forward 4.0 could further increase funding, potentially solidifying his support base, especially among developing nations.
While Uefa has 55 members, and Africa has 54, Infantino’s support from Africa, parts of Asia, and now Mexico and Argentina, positions him as a strong contender for re-election. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had initially stood “in solidarity” with Uefa and Concacaf against the FFE plans but has since welcomed the withdrawal of the proposal. Only Jordan has publicly stated it will not vote for Infantino’s re-election.
Concacaf, with 35 members, has strongly criticised Infantino, but Mexico’s breakaway support highlights potential fragmentation within the bloc. The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), with 11 members, has not yet issued a statement but its president, Lambert Maltock, previously praised Infantino’s leadership and investment in grassroots football. Conmebol, with 10 members, has also indicated that Infantino can still count on its support, despite expressing concerns about unilateral actions.
Uefa’s options include attempting to force an emergency meeting of the Fifa Council or triggering a vote of no confidence, which would require a majority of 106 votes from Fifa’s 211 member associations. Another strategy involves finding a unity candidate to challenge Infantino in the March election, with Concacaf president Victor Montagliani being a potential favourite. The Fifa Women’s U20s World Cup, kicking off in Poland on 5 September, will be an early test of Uefa’s stance, with six European countries, including England, expected to participate.
Source: bbc.com