FIFA president continues to receive backlash from the football fraternity. Most recently, the Football Association (FA) is preparing to formally withdraw its earlier backing for Gianni Infantino’s bid for re-election as FIFA president in 2027, aligning with growing European opposition to the Swiss leader’s governance.
The move follows the Football Association of Wales (FAW), which became the first national association to publicly retract its support earlier on Monday. In a strongly worded statement, the FAW cited “recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement,” saying Infantino had lost its confidence.
English FA joins Wales in withdrawing support for Infantino’s FIFA re-election
The English FA had previously sent a letter of support before the 2026 World Cup, but is now set to inform FIFA of its change of position, according to Sky News. The shift is part of a broader UEFA-coordinated pushback, with president Aleksander Ceferin urging member associations to withdraw endorsements.
The backlash intensified after Infantino’s now-scrapped proposal to create a commercial entity and sell stakes in World Cup rights to private investors. The plan drew fierce criticism from UEFA, other confederations, and national federations, who viewed it as undermining the integrity of the game. Although FIFA ultimately abandoned the idea, the incident has fueled calls for greater accountability and even a leadership review.
ALSO READ: Wales confirms its withdrawal to not support Infantino for re-election as FIFA president