Pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino continues to intensify after UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF issued a joint statement condemning his leadership and calling for an independent review into the governing body’s abandoned World Cup privatisation proposal.
The three confederations accused Infantino of putting himself above the game after FIFA’s controversial plan to sell stakes in the commercial rights of the World Cup and other competitions collapsed following widespread opposition.
In a strongly worded letter, UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF insisted that football’s leadership belongs to the global game rather than any individual.
“Football belongs to no individual.”
“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding – or demanding – power to be held.”
The statement went on to accuse Infantino of betraying the trust placed in him by football’s governing bodies.
“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”
The three confederations also demanded a fully independent investigation into the failed proposal, insisting FIFA should play no role in determining how the plan was developed or approved.
The criticism comes despite FIFA withdrawing the proposal within days of unveiling it and issuing an apology to its 211 member associations for failing to properly consult them.
The confederations also questioned last week’s emergency FIFA meeting in Morocco, arguing that only one elected official was present and describing the affair as a “profound failure of judgement.”
Support for reform is also growing among national federations. The football associations of the United States and Canada—two co-hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup—backed the joint statement, calling for greater governance, transparency and accountability within FIFA. Mexico, however, has continued to support Infantino.
Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness also renewed her call for Infantino to resign immediately, adding further pressure on the FIFA chief ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Despite the mounting criticism, Infantino continues to enjoy significant backing from other parts of world football. Africa’s governing body CAF has publicly endorsed his leadership, while South American nations including Argentina, Paraguay, Ecuador and Bolivia have also reaffirmed their support.
FIFA has dismissed the criticism, claiming there is a “concerted and ongoing effort” to undermine both the organisation and its president. The governing body has also insisted that any challenge to Infantino’s leadership must follow FIFA’s democratic procedures.
Although almost 70 of FIFA’s 211 member associations have publicly pledged to vote for Infantino in the next presidential election, several federations have withdrawn their backing in recent days, leaving the FIFA president facing the most significant political challenge of his tenure.
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