Infantino opposition plans rival global tournament as FIFA leadership dispute escalates

UEFA and several other continental football organisations are considering staging their own World Cup if FIFA president Gianni Infantino refuses to resign, according to reports.

Infantino, 56, is determined to remain in office despite provoking widespread alarm across football with a controversial proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private-sector investors. He was later forced to abandon the plan, in what was viewed as a humiliating retreat.

Aleksander Ceferin, the UEFA president, is reportedly working with officials from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to push for Infantino’s departure.

The Times has reported that an alliance has been formed with the aim of removing Infantino and “paralysing FIFA”.

The group is examining the possibility of creating its own international competitions if Infantino refuses to leave and attempts to secure re-election in March next year.

UEFA already has a proposal for a global Nations League that could rival the World Cup. It was first asked to develop the concept in 2017, meaning a framework for an alternative international tournament is already available.

The opposition to Infantino is also considering a coordinated boycott of FIFA Council meetings and committee sessions. Members of the alliance could refuse to approve decisions as part of efforts to put pressure on the FIFA president and disrupt the organisation’s work.

Infantino has received only 15 declarations of support from FIFA’s 211 member associations since details of his stalled project emerged.

The Football Association has joined its counterparts in Wales in withdrawing its backing for Infantino ahead of next year’s FIFA presidential election. UEFA has also said that England and all of its other member associations will boycott the World Cup if Infantino’s proposal receives approval.

The European governing body is considering legal action against FIFA officials over the consequences of the escalating dispute.

The stand-off represents a serious challenge to Infantino’s authority, with opposition figures preparing not only to campaign against his continuation in office but also to pursue competitions outside FIFA’s existing structure. Their plans would move beyond internal criticism and create a direct alternative to the organisation’s central role in the international game.

For now, the prospect of a rival World Cup remains under consideration rather than a confirmed competition. But the threat has added to the pressure on Infantino after the collapse of his private-investment proposal and the loss of support from the Football Association and other national bodies.

The alliance’s next steps will depend on whether Infantino maintains his intention to seek re-election in March. If he does, his opponents are prepared to combine political pressure, institutional boycotts, possible legal proceedings and the development of alternative international tournaments in an attempt to force a change at the top of FIFA.