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UEFA Delivers Blistering Rebuke as FIFA Scraps Investment Plan
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is fighting for his political future after European football’s governing body UEFA said it had lost confidence in his leadership . The stunning rebuke came after Infantino was forced to abandon a controversial plan to sell minority stakes in World Cup commercial rights to private investors following a fierce backlash .
UEFA, whose 55 member associations had unanimously rejected the proposal, declared FIFA’s retreat a “victory for the whole game” but said the “task of rebuilding trust in FIFA” had only just begun . In a blistering statement, UEFA accused Infantino of failing to deliver on transparency promises made during his 2016 election campaign, describing the failed deal as a “shabby, back-room, opaque deal” .
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) also issued a scathing statement, calling the proposal “a symptom of leadership that has stopped putting football first” and demanding a “full review of this leadership” . The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) likewise condemned the lack of consultation .
Political Fallout and Re-Election Hopes Damaged
Infantino, 56, who has twice been re-elected unopposed since 2016, had intended to seek a fourth term at the FIFA Congress in March 2027, which had appeared a formality . Experts now say his position is under severe threat .
“The speed of the turnaround has been particularly striking,” said economist Victor Matheson. “As close as two weeks ago, he’s riding on top of the world… and just two weeks later, he’s fighting for his political life” .
The proposal came under immediate scrutiny due to the involvement of Thrive Eternal, a firm owned by Joshua Kushner—brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner—which was to lead the investor group . Trump’s close relationship with Infantino, which included the U.S. President successfully lobbying for an American player’s red card to be rescinded during the World Cup, has raised further questions . Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned in protest, describing the deal as “mortgaging football’s future” .
Potential Successors Emerge
With Infantino’s re-election no longer certain, potential challengers are being discussed . The most likely candidate appears to be Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, who was instrumental in organizing the 2026 World Cup and is seen as a unifier. Another option is Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, the AFC president who has led the Asian confederation’s criticism of Infantino .
