New Wave of Opposition Against Infantino After Three Associations Withdraw Support 🏆🔥
Gianni Infantino, president of the International Football Federation (FIFA), has suffered a new setback in his bid for another term at the head of world football after the football associations of Serbia, Sweden and Wales officially withdrew their support for his re-election.
The developments come amid growing controversy in global football circles following the failure of Infantino’s plan to sell an investment stake in World Cup rights to private investors, a move that faced strong opposition from several football stakeholders. 📢
Consecutive Withdrawals Put Pressure on Infantino ⚽
The Welsh Football Association became the first national association to officially withdraw its support for Infantino, before Serbia and Sweden followed with similar decisions, reflecting increasing criticism toward the FIFA president’s leadership.
Infantino had been seeking support from member associations ahead of the upcoming FIFA presidential elections, but the latest decisions have raised questions about his ability to maintain the backing he previously enjoyed.
Serbia Withdraws Support After Reviewing Recent Developments 🇷🇸
The Serbian Football Association announced its decision to withdraw support for Infantino, confirming that it had previously backed the FIFA president but later reviewed its position following recent events.
The Serbian federation explained that the decision came after a careful evaluation of developments that had negatively affected the image and reputation of both FIFA and its president.
The move represents a significant change, especially since Serbia had previously been among the associations supporting Infantino.
Sweden Criticizes Governance and Transparency Issues 🇸🇪
The Swedish Football Association announced during an extraordinary board meeting that it would not support Infantino in the upcoming election.
Sweden stated that the decision followed a long-term assessment of developments within FIFA and the organization’s leadership style, highlighting concerns related to governance, transparency and management.
The association stressed that confidence in Infantino’s leadership was no longer present, leading to the decision not to support him in the next election.
World Cup Investment Plan Sparks Major Controversy 🔥
The controversy began after Infantino introduced a plan to create a new investment entity connected to FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.
The project aimed to raise billions of dollars through selling an investment stake of around 20%, but it faced strong resistance from several parties within global football before FIFA eventually stepped back from the proposal.
The failure of the project increased criticism toward Infantino, particularly regarding decision-making processes and communication with continental and national football associations.
Wales Started the Move Against FIFA President 🏴
Earlier, the Welsh Football Association announced that it had withdrawn its support for Infantino’s candidacy for a new presidential term from 2027 to 2031.
Wales said its decision was based on concerns regarding governance, leadership, communication and stakeholder management.
The association confirmed that a loss of confidence in Infantino’s leadership was the main reason behind its decision not to continue supporting him.
Infantino’s Future Faces Major Test ✨
The latest withdrawals place FIFA’s president under significant pressure ahead of the upcoming election, with signs of growing dissatisfaction among some national associations.
Although Infantino successfully strengthened his influence within FIFA during previous years, the recent crisis has revealed opposition voices questioning his policies and management approach.
The coming period will be crucial in determining whether Infantino can rebuild trust or whether the wave of withdrawals will continue and affect his chances of securing another term. ⚽🏆
