The English Football Association is set to withdraw its backing for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, adding to mounting opposition over the governing body’s abandoned private investment plan…reports London Daily News Desk
The English Football Association (FA) is set to withdraw its support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, marking the latest setback for the football chief as opposition grows over FIFA’s abandoned plan to sell minority stakes in its competitions to private investors.
The development comes as UEFA considers legal action against FIFA over the controversial proposal, while the Football Association of Wales has already withdrawn its backing for Infantino’s re-election bid. The latest moves deepen a governance dispute that has placed the FIFA president under increasing pressure ahead of the next presidential election.
The controversy centres on FIFA’s proposal to establish a commercial subsidiary, the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to manage its flagship competitions, including the FIFA World Cup. Under the plan, outside investors would have been allowed to acquire minority, non-controlling stakes in the new commercial entity.
However, the proposal was shelved after attracting significant opposition from football’s governing bodies and member associations.
According to The Telegraph, UEFA has formally notified Infantino that it is considering legal proceedings, including arbitration and regulatory complaints, over the proposed restructuring.
The European governing body has also instructed FIFA to preserve all documentation related to the proposal, including emails, WhatsApp messages, meeting notes and other communications linked to the investment plans.
The dispute intensified following reports that Infantino wrote to FIFA’s 211 member associations offering financial support of up to $40 million for associations backing the proposal. The package reportedly included an initial payment of $20 million, with a deadline of 19 September.
The reported funding offer has fuelled concerns among critics over FIFA’s governance and decision-making process, adding to calls for greater transparency.
US venture capital firm Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner, had been expected to lead the consortium of investors before FIFA abandoned the proposal amid growing resistance.
Former English FA chief executive Mark Palios described UEFA’s legal threat as “a very clear call for action” over what he called “an abysmal governance process.”
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Palios argued that football required stronger accountability and suggested FIFA needed new leadership to prevent similar controversies in the future.
Despite mounting criticism across Europe, Infantino continues to retain support from several member associations, including Qatar, Lebanon, Kuwait and Sri Lanka. While the Asian Football Confederation has expressed solidarity with UEFA and Concacaf over governance concerns, the African, South American and Oceanian confederations have so far stopped short of publicly criticising the FIFA president.
Infantino remains eligible to seek a fourth and final term when his current mandate expires in March. To secure re-election, he would need the backing of at least 106 of FIFA’s 211 member associations.
UEFA is also exploring the possibility of forcing an emergency meeting of the FIFA Council, a move that would require the support of 19 of the council’s 37 members. Such a meeting could, in principle, call for Infantino’s resignation, although observers acknowledge that any successful challenge would require significant backing from associations outside Europe and Concacaf.
The abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal has become one of the most contentious governance issues facing world football, with critics arguing it raised questions over transparency, commercial influence and the future control of the sport’s most valuable competitions. The widening opposition from national associations and confederations now threatens to become one of the biggest leadership challenges of Infantino’s presidency.
