FIFA power struggle: How the battle to unseat Gianni Infantino reached this point

Gianni Infantino’s battle to remain FIFA president has developed into one of the biggest power struggles in world football, with major confederations demanding reform, national associations withdrawing their support and potential challengers being discussed ahead of the 2027 election.

The crisis intensified after FIFA abandoned plans to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a commercial vehicle that would have opened stakes in FIFA’s major competitions to private investors. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF have since mounted a coordinated challenge to Infantino’s leadership.

As the dispute continues, FIFA has proposed an independent external review of its governance and decision-making processes. The FIFA Council is expected to consider the proposal at its October 15 meeting.

Where the battle stands

On August 10, UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF issued a joint letter calling for fundamental reform of FIFA’s leadership and governance.

The three confederations said football did not belong to any individual or institution and argued that leadership had to serve the wider football community.

The alliance followed the collapse of FFE. FIFA formally abandoned the proposal on July 31 after opposition from several confederations and member associations, saying the project had created divisions that were no longer compatible with its original objective.

The proposal had envisaged using a commercial subsidiary to raise money from private investors through stakes linked to FIFA competitions. Critics argued that the process lacked transparency and sufficient consultation.

UEFA members had threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions while the proposal remained under consideration, although that position was suspended after FIFA withdrew the plan.

Infantino nevertheless confirmed that he intends to seek another term. FIFA had already announced in May that he would stand for re-election, and the governing body reiterated that position on September 6.

UEFA vice-president Laura McAllister has said European football remains united in its search for a challenger capable of bringing together the different confederations.

No formal challenger had emerged by September 18, although CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani has been widely discussed as a possible candidate. Other names have also circulated in football politics, but they should not be treated as confirmed candidates until nominations are formally submitted.

The latest flashpoint

The dispute has now moved beyond FFE.

On September 21, Infantino wrote to FIFA’s 211 member associations proposing an independent external review of FIFA’s governance framework, together with consultations on decision-making, transparency and accountability.

The proposal has not settled the dispute.

German Football Association president Bernd Neuendorf has demanded that Infantino resign and criticised what he described as the “Infantino system”. The English FA chairwoman and FIFA vice-president Debbie Hewitt has also demanded access to files connected to the FFE controversy and the Folarin Balogun disciplinary case.

UEFA has separately begun legal steps connected to the FFE dispute, while its leadership has called for the preservation of relevant documents and electronic records.

The confrontation has therefore shifted from a disagreement over one commercial proposal into a broader argument about how FIFA should be governed.

The Balogun controversy

The 2026 World Cup added another major flashpoint.

USA striker Folarin Balogun was sent off during the knockout match against Bosnia and Herzegovina and initially faced an automatic suspension for the next game.

FIFA later suspended the sanction, making Balogun eligible to play against Belgium. The decision became controversial after US President Donald Trump confirmed that he had contacted Infantino about the red card. Infantino acknowledged receiving the call but said FIFA’s judicial bodies operated independently.

Belgium questioned the decision, while UEFA leaders criticised what they viewed as a dangerous precedent for FIFA’s disciplinary system. Balogun ultimately played against Belgium, although the United States lost 4-1 and exited the tournament.

The episode added to existing concerns about political influence and transparency around Infantino’s presidency.

How Infantino got here

Infantino became FIFA president in 2016 after Sepp Blatter resigned amid a major corruption scandal that resulted in numerous FIFA officials being indicted.

The former UEFA general secretary promised to restore FIFA’s reputation and presented himself as the leader of a new era of transparency and reform.

His own presidency, however, soon faced scrutiny.

In 2016, FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee investigated allegations surrounding private flights taken by Infantino. The committee eventually cleared him of violations of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

Further controversy centred on meetings between Infantino and Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber while Swiss authorities were investigating FIFA-related corruption allegations.

In 2020, Swiss authorities opened criminal proceedings against Infantino over those meetings. Infantino and Lauber denied wrongdoing, while FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee subsequently concluded that the conduct examined did not constitute a violation of FIFA regulations.

The Saudi World Cup controversy

Infantino also faced criticism over the process that resulted in Saudi Arabia being awarded the 2034 World Cup.

FIFA limited the bidding process to AFC and Oceania members after deciding that the 2030 World Cup would be staged across Europe, Africa and South America. Saudi Arabia subsequently became the sole bid and was formally awarded the tournament at FIFA’s extraordinary Congress in December 2024.

The decision attracted scrutiny because FIFA has a commercial partnership with Saudi state-owned oil company Aramco.

Those controversies did not prevent Infantino from securing broad support across world football. He was re-elected unopposed in 2023 for a third term.

The FFE explosion

The latest crisis began in July 2026 when details emerged of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise.

Infantino presented the project as a way of unlocking additional commercial value from FIFA’s competitions and increasing financial support for member associations.

The proposal immediately faced resistance.

UEFA described it as lacking transparency, while AFC labelled it unacceptable and CONCACAF expressed concern about FIFA’s governance.

The opposition spread inside FIFA itself. Senior officials criticised aspects of the process, while Carlos Cordeiro resigned as a FIFA senior adviser and described the proposal as a bad deal for FIFA’s member associations and football’s long-term future.

FIFA ultimately abandoned the project on July 31.

The withdrawal triggered a new wave of criticism. UEFA members publicly declared that they had lost confidence in Infantino, while AFC called for a comprehensive reckoning.

FIFA management subsequently met in Rabat, where its leadership reaffirmed support for Infantino and discussed improving internal processes following the FFE controversy.

What happens next?

The FIFA presidential race now moves towards its decisive phase.

November 18, 2026: The deadline for presidential candidates to submit their nominations.

October 15, 2026: The FIFA Council is due to consider Infantino’s proposed governance review.

March 18, 2027: The 77th FIFA Congress will be held in Rabat, Morocco, where the FIFA presidential election will take place.

Infantino is seeking a fourth term that would take him through 2031 if successful.

His opponents are attempting to build a cross-confederation coalition around governance reform, while Infantino continues to have significant support, particularly in Africa and South America. The balance of support remains fluid, with national associations taking different positions.