FIFA power struggle deepens after Infantino’s flagship project is abandoned

Gianni Infantino’s position as FIFA president is facing growing uncertainty after he withdrew a controversial commercial plan that had threatened to create a major split with UEFA.

The FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal was designed to establish a new business entity partly funded by private investment funds. In return for joining, each of FIFA’s member associations would have received $40m.

According to talkSPORT, Infantino abandoned the project after acknowledging that it had “created divisions”. His decision followed a warning from UEFA that it could boycott FIFA competitions if the plan went ahead.

Infantino also lost the backing of investor Josh Kushner and JPMorgan within a 48-hour period, the report said. FIFA’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, while chief operating officer Kevin Lamour accused the FIFA president of having “deceived employees”.

The developments have prompted UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin to consider asking European associations that submitted written support for Infantino to withdraw it. More than 40 UEFA members are believed to have offered such backing.

Senior officials at the Football Association (FA), speaking anonymously, have also discussed whether to withdraw the organisation’s formal support for Infantino. The FA previously called for “a full and rigorous review of FIFA’s leadership and governance, to ensure that the global game is managed transparently, in the interests of all 211 member associations and in the long term”.

The German Football Association remains opposed to Infantino being re-elected, while the football associations of Norway, Poland, France, Sweden, Belgium, Canada, Mexico and Jordan are preparing meetings to decide their positions.

UEFA opposition gathers pace

talkSPORT reported that there is strong support within UEFA for preventing Infantino from standing again at the 2027 FIFA presidential election. If he does contest the vote, UEFA is expected to work towards defeating him.

UEFA has 55 votes. A candidate needs 106 votes to win in the second round, while victory in the first round requires a two-thirds majority of 141 votes.

The president of CONCACAF, Canadian Victor Montagliani, is regarded as a potential candidate. A source close to Montagliani told talkSPORT: “He was always focused on getting re-elected in CONCACAF next year, and it is interesting that CONCACAF and UEFA votes together (96 votes) need only 10 more votes to win the FIFA presidency.”

Some UEFA associations are supporting the possible candidacy of Nasser Al-Khelaifi. However, a source close to the Paris Saint-Germain president insisted that he “has no ambition” to stand in the election.

FIFA secretary general Matthias Grafstrom is also considered one of the strongest potential candidates to succeed Infantino.

The dispute centres on Infantino’s decision to promote FIFA Forward Enterprise and the reaction it provoked among European football leaders. His subsequent withdrawal of the scheme has not ended questions about his leadership, with UEFA members now considering whether their previous support should remain in place ahead of the 2027 contest.