UEFA president urges European nations to revoke Gianni Infantino support as FIFA chief faces calls to resign

UEFA president Alexander Ceferin has called on European football associations to reconsider their support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino (the Sun).

This comes after the collapse of a controversial World Cup commercial proposal that has shaken confidence in FIFA’s leadership.

Infantino recently abandoned plans to create a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

FFE would have managed and commercialised several of the organisation’s most valuable assets, including the World Cup and the Club World Cup.

The proposal drew widespread criticism across global football, with many arguing it placed commercial interests ahead of the sport itself.

UEFA was the strongest opponent of the plan and even discussed the possibility of boycotting the World Cup if Infantino moved forward with it.

The European governing body was backed by CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation, creating enough resistance for FIFA to eventually drop the idea.

After shelving the proposal, Infantino admitted it had caused unnecessary divisions within football and could no longer continue. 

However, the decision has done little to repair relations with UEFA, which believes the episode has damaged trust in FIFA’s leadership.

Ceferin now wants UEFA’s member associations to withdraw the letters of support they had previously given Infantino ahead of the next FIFA presidential election. 

More than 200 FIFA member associations have backed him for another term, including over 40 from Europe, including the English Football Association.

Infantino has also faced criticism over several other decisions in recent months. 

These include FIFA’s handling of Folarin Balogun’s World Cup suspension, the introduction of hydration breaks during matches, and plans for a 30-minute halftime entertainment show at the World Cup final.

The speculation over Infantino’s future as FIFA president has now opened the door for discussions about potential successors.

Concacaf president Victor Montagliani has emerged as one of the leading candidates despite previously being considered a close ally of Infantino. 

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has also been mentioned, although Qatar Football Association backing for Infantino could influence any future leadership contest.