England FA withdrawal leaves Gianni Infantino facing growing European opposition

The Football Association has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s bid for another term as FIFA president, deepening the crisis surrounding the governing body’s leader after the collapse of his plan to sell stakes in the commercial rights to FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.

England’s decision follows that of the Football Association of Wales, which became the first national association to announce that it no longer backed Infantino. Other European football bodies are expected to consider taking similar action in the coming days.

Infantino has faced intense criticism since his proposal to bring private-sector investors into FIFA’s competitions fell apart. The plan was formally abandoned after a strong backlash from continental and national associations.

In an official statement, UEFA said a number of countries, including England and Wales, had been prepared to boycott future World Cups unless the proposal was withdrawn. FIFA subsequently reversed its position swiftly and dropped the project.

The dispute is expected to damage Infantino’s efforts to remain in office when FIFA’s presidential election takes place in 2027. His position has already come under increasing scrutiny following the failure of a commercial initiative that had been presented as an ambitious plan to reshape the organisation’s revenue model.

The Times reported that the FA would withdraw an earlier letter expressing support for Infantino’s continued leadership. The move is viewed as a significant indication of the decline in confidence in the FIFA president among European football authorities.

England’s decision has also been interpreted as the start of a possible domino effect. With pressure mounting within Europe for Infantino to be removed from his position, other national and footballing bodies could follow the example set by Wales and England.

Wales was the first association to withdraw its backing, with England now becoming the second. The developments point to a weakening of the European support base that had been one of the main pillars of Infantino’s authority since he became FIFA president in 2016.

The commercial rights proposal had triggered opposition from both continental and national organisations because of concerns over the involvement of private investors in FIFA competitions. UEFA’s warning that countries could refuse to take part in future World Cups demonstrated the seriousness of the resistance and helped force FIFA to abandon the plan.

Infantino’s future has consequently entered a period of unprecedented uncertainty. What began as a major commercial project has evolved into a political crisis that now threatens his continued leadership of the world’s biggest football organisation, with the 2027 election drawing closer.