The French Football Federation (FFF) has proposed to reform FIFA's governance, becoming the latest national football body to withdraw support for Gianni Infantino's presidency. The FFF's decision followed Infantino's now-abandoned plan to sell stakes in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors.
On Thursday, the FFF joined the football federations of England, Italy, the Republic of Ireland, and Scotland in revoking their support for Infantino. The FFF had initially pledged support in June, prior to the investment proposal coming to light.
Infantino's proposal had generated significant opposition, with UEFA, European football's governing body, threatening a boycott of all FIFA competitions. UEFA, along with the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, called for Infantino's resignation, although he retains the backing of CONMEBOL and the Confederation of African Football (CAF). FIFA has confirmed that Infantino will stand for a fourth term as president in the upcoming election scheduled for March.
FFF president Philippe Diallo stated that a project with such a significant impact on football's future could not be considered without comprehensive information, in-depth consultation, and a fully transparent decision-making process. He added that FIFA's governance does not meet the standards represented by football.
Despite Infantino's retraction of the investment plan, the FFF maintains that "Fifa's governance cannot be considered resolved." The federation plans to initiate consultations with confederations, national associations, players, supporters, and governance experts to reform FIFA. The objective of these consultations is to foster collective reflection and develop proposals for a broad transformation of FIFA's governance, aiming to restore confidence, enhance transparency, and ensure the independence and exemplary conduct of the global football governing body. As a founding member of FIFA, the FFF intends to contribute to this critical debate for the future, regulation, and development of football.