UEFA is escalating its pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino, reiterating its loss of confidence and threatening a World Cup boycott if he does not resign. The European football governing body issued a statement confirming its stance following Infantino's decision to abandon controversial plans to sell stakes in the World Cup. Sources indicate that anything short of Infantino's departure will likely result in major European nations abstaining from the next World Cup.
Despite widespread outrage and opposition to the proposed commercialization of the World Cup, FIFA announced on Wednesday that Infantino has the backing of its council members after crisis talks in Morocco. Infantino had convened officials at his hotel in what appears to be a temporary measure to retain power. Following the meeting, FIFA issued a statement asserting that its executives offered Infantino their "full support" while acknowledging "mistakes" in the withdrawn plan. FIFA has since apologized in a letter to various football associations and announced a review.
However, UEFA's position remains unchanged. The organization's initial statement on Saturday had described Infantino's proposal as a "shabby, back room, opaque deal." After the recent announcement of support for Infantino, UEFA stated that its member associations' conditions for participating in FIFA competitions – the withdrawal of the proposals and assurances that such actions will not recur – have not been met. UEFA explicitly stated that it has "lost confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency" and that the recent show of support from some FIFA employees does not alter this position.
FIFPRO, the global union for professional footballers, also criticized Infantino and the FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme. The union stated that while the plan is gone, the "abuse of power that produced it is not," and called for governance reforms instead of a cover-up. FIFPRO described the plan as conceived in secrecy and brought to the brink of agreement without the knowledge of key stakeholders, labeling it a "profound abuse of presidential power."
The union further urged for "structural safeguards" to prevent similar events, including legally binding engagement with professional football stakeholders on significant decisions and voting rights for them on the FIFA council. FIFPRO concluded that withdrawing the proposal did not restore confidence, which has been "fundamentally broken" and cannot be rebuilt through statements or reviews alone.
Football legend Luis Figo has joined the growing chorus calling for Infantino's resignation, describing the aborted World Cup plan as the "lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed." Figo, a former supporter of Infantino, called him a "relic who should have no part in football’s future" and accused him of a "litany of abuses."
If Infantino survives the current pressure, he would face re-election in March, requiring 106 out of 211 member votes to secure another term. The controversy stems from Infantino's attempt to sell stakes in the World Cup's commercial and event operations to private investors. The plan was met with significant backlash from various football organizations and figures, leading to its eventual withdrawal.