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FA likely to withdraw backing for Gianni Infantino as FIFA president after World Cup sell-off row

Gianni Infantino’s hold over the FIFA presidency appears to be weakening, with the Football Association preparing to formally remove its support for his re-election. The development follows a heavily criticised proposal to privatise stakes in the World Cup, a plan that has triggered a civil war within global football.

Infantino faces growing pressure from the home nations

The English Football Association is set to officially distance itself from Infantino’s leadership, indicating a major change in the balance of power at Wembley. After the Football Association of Wales became the first member association to formally withdraw its support, England is now expected to do the same in a bid to push the Swiss-Italian official out of office. According to Independent, the FA is currently preparing to send a formal letter to FIFA withdrawing its backing, adding further pressure on a president whose decade-long rule is now facing the most intense scrutiny of his career.

The controversy is centred on the proposed creation of 'FIFA Forward Enterprise' (FFE), which was intended to sell a 20 per cent stake in FIFA’s assets to private investors. Thrive Eternal, a group led by Joshua Kushner, had reportedly been identified as the lead investor. The political optics of the deal became even more complicated because of Kushner’s family links to the Trump administration, although U.S. President Donald Trump has since said he had not discussed the sell-off plan with Infantino before it was abandoned.

UEFA threatens boycott and legal action

European governing body UEFA has emerged as the strongest critic of the privatisation proposal, at one stage threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions. That would have included the forthcoming Women’s World Cup and the 2030 men’s tournament, a step that would have effectively destroyed the prestige of the global governing body. After Infantino dropped his plans, UEFA confirmed it had lost confidence in his leadership and has now written to the FIFA president stating it is “actively considering” legal action over the sell-off scheme.

The fallout has not been confined to outside organisations, as Infantino is also dealing with an internal revolt within his own administration. Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned in protest over the plans, while FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour reportedly said the president had “deceived” FIFA staff about the nature of the negotiations. The absence of consultation also angered Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation, both of whom were furious at being kept in the dark about the future of the tournament.

Political figures and executives call for change

The backlash has now reached the highest levels of political life, with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham saying Infantino is the “wrong man” to lead FIFA. The view that the current leadership is no longer fit for purpose is gathering pace across the continent, even though Infantino is still scheduled to stand for re-election in March 2027.

Infantino’s push towards private investment was viewed by many as a desperate attempt to consolidate financial power outside the game’s traditional structures. UEFA’s description of it as a “shabby, backroom deal” points to a collapse in the trust needed to manage global football’s most lucrative asset.

Global divide over FIFA leadership

While Europe and parts of North America are in open revolt, Infantino still retains a bloc of support elsewhere. Several African and Asian football bodies, including those from Morocco, Egypt and Qatar, publicly backed the president over the weekend. With the March 2027 election drawing closer, the landscape of FIFA politics is changing rapidly. The FA’s withdrawal of support is not merely symbolic; it is a tactical move intended to encourage other nations to raise their concerns. If enough associations follow the same path, the possibility of an Extraordinary FIFA Congress becomes real.