Nordic football associations join calls for Gianni Infantino to resign

The football associations of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Faroe Islands have said they no longer have confidence in FIFA president Gianni Infantino and backed calls for him to step down.

The six FIFA members issued a joint statement after meeting in Helsinki on Sunday, adding to pressure on Infantino ahead of next year’s presidential election.

They also called for an independent investigation into the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which included plans to sell private equity investors stakes in events such as the World Cup. The idea was abandoned quickly after widespread opposition from across the game.

“The six Nordic football associations have lost confidence in Fifa’s president and are concerned about the organisation’s governance and decision-making at the highest level,” they said in a statement.

“The Nordic football associations stand united with Uefa and support the measures that the organisation and its national member associations have jointly proposed.

“We expect Fifa to provide binding guarantees that the organisation’s governance or competitions will never again be opened up to private ownership.”

The statement follows similar pressure from three of football’s regional confederations: European governing body Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and Concacaf, which represents North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Those organisations have called for Infantino’s resignation and have discussed the possibility of a vote of no confidence against him.

The Nordic associations also supported calls for a wider examination of FIFA’s governance arrangements.

“We also support the demand made by AFC, Concacaf and Uefa that a fully independent external investigation into the events surrounding the Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal be established,” the Nordic FAs said.

“We also call on Fifa to initiate a comprehensive and independent review of its governance framework to determine whether it ensures the independence, checks and balances, transparency and accountability that were intended when Fifa adopted its reform programme in 2016.”

Infantino is seeking a fourth term as FIFA president, which would run until 2031, at next year’s election. On Friday, the Danish Football Association (DBU) said it would work to identify a credible alternative to him.

The Nordic intervention came as Infantino visited the Dominican Republic, where he met officials from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).

Concacaf president Victor Montagliani had asked Infantino not to attend a youth football tournament in the country, arguing that his presence would overshadow the event.

Infantino defended his visit and said the meeting with CFU presidents was taking place alongside an Under-14 tournament supported by FIFA funding.

“This meeting of the presidents of CFU takes place in the environment of [an] Under-14 youth tournament in the region, which actually is one of those tournaments that can take place thanks [to] the Fifa Forward programme,” Infantino said.

“So, even more so, a reason to be proud to be here. And happy, as well, because it’s important to engage, to have a dialogue, to express views and opinions.”

The Nordic associations’ statement represents an unusually unified challenge to FIFA’s leadership from six national bodies. Reuters has contacted FIFA for comment.