FAI withdraws support for Infantino as 13 European nations now oppose FIFA president's re-election

FAI withdrawal

The Football Association of Ireland confirmed on Thursday that it has rescinded a letter of support for Gianni Infantino's re-election as FIFA president, following a board meeting on Monday. The FAI had previously endorsed Infantino earlier this year, before the controversy over his proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. In its statement, the FAI said recent events had raised "significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation," and noted that given its own governance challenges in recent years, it felt "a particular obligation to advocate for and uphold best practice."

The World Cup sell-off plan

The crisis was triggered by Infantino's proposal to create the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a subsidiary designed to manage commercial rights for FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, with private capital. The project envisioned raising up to $4.2 billion by selling a minority stake of up to 20% to private investors. Among the potential interested parties was Thrive Eternal, a fund founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law. The initiative provoked strong institutional backlash and was eventually abandoned, with Infantino sending an apology letter on Wednesday night that changed nothing for several associations.

European opposition grows

Wales was the first to withdraw support, around 10 days ago, followed by the English FA. The FAI now joins a list of 13 European nations that have formally rescinded their endorsement: Wales, England, Netherlands, Germany, Romania, Greece, Croatia, Serbia, Albania, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland's IFA has not formally withdrawn support but is backing UEFA's stance. UEFA, along with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF, signed an open letter on Monday accusing Infantino of breaking trust "through deception." UEFA's boycott of FIFA competitions remains in place, though the French Football Federation indicated to BBC Sport that it still intends to compete at next month's U20 Women's World Cup despite the confederation-wide boycott. The global players' union, Fifpro, accused Infantino of a "profound abuse of presidential power."

Infantino's remaining support

Despite the European backlash, Infantino retains backing from several quarters. CAF (the African football confederation) and CONMEBOL have reaffirmed their support, as have countries including Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan, and Mauritania. US President Donald Trump defended Infantino on Truth Social, saying FIFA would make "a terrible mistake" if it replaced him, and praising the profitability of the 2026 World Cup, which generated nearly $15 billion in revenue. In a FIFA presidential election, confederations do not vote; each member nation casts a ballot. Infantino reportedly received more than 200 letters of support before the controversy, and his survival now depends on maintaining enough backing outside Europe to offset the losses.

What's next

Infantino was initially expected to run unopposed for re-election in March 2027. His position has weakened considerably, but he has secured support in Mexico and Qatar. UEFA wants him gone and says its member associations will continue to boycott FIFA competitions until he leaves. The open letter co-signed by the heads of UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF stressed that Infantino has lost their confidence.