Infantino’s FIFA future in doubt as UEFA rallies support for confidence vote

Gianni Infantino is facing growing pressure to resign as president of FIFA or risk a no-confidence vote that could remove him from office, after UEFA told him his position was no longer secure.

According to the British newspaper The Telegraph, all 55 national associations belonging to UEFA are prepared to vote against Infantino remaining in the role if he refuses to step down. UEFA would need the backing of only 43 associations to call an official vote of no confidence.

The development represents a major challenge to Infantino’s leadership of world football. UEFA has publicly declared that it has lost confidence in the way FIFA is being led and has called for fundamental changes within the governing body.

The European governing body’s position follows Infantino’s decision to abandon his controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. The plan was intended to establish a new commercial entity and allow part of the World Cup’s broadcast and commercial rights to be sold to private-sector investors.

The proposal faced widespread opposition from across the football community. It also triggered internal resistance within FIFA, where some employees described the project as an attempt to “kill the spirit of the game”.

Infantino was subsequently forced to retreat from the initiative, but the dispute has continued to fuel questions over FIFA’s leadership and its governance arrangements. UEFA’s demand for a review now has the support of the English Football Association, which has backed the European body’s call for a comprehensive examination of how FIFA is run.

In a statement, the English Football Association said: “We fully support UEFA’s position. The time has come for a thorough and robust review of FIFA’s leadership and governance, to ensure that global football is administered transparently, in the best interests of the 211 member associations, with the long-term future of the game at the heart of decision-making.”

The statement adds the weight of one of Europe’s leading national associations to UEFA’s campaign. It also places the focus on the relationship between FIFA’s central leadership and the national associations it represents.

For Infantino, the immediate issue is whether he will accept UEFA’s demand to leave office or attempt to remain in his position in the face of a formal challenge. If UEFA secures the required support from 43 of its 55 members, a no-confidence vote could be convened.

The potential vote would follow an unusually direct confrontation between FIFA’s president and the European confederation. UEFA’s objections have centred on the proposed commercial structure, the handling of FIFA’s leadership and the need for greater transparency in global football governance.

No outcome has yet been stated, but the scale of UEFA’s opposition means Infantino’s position is under serious examination. The dispute has also opened a much wider debate about how football’s international governing body should make major commercial decisions and protect the long-term interests of the sport.