Pressure Mounts on FIFA President Gianni Infantino as Calls for Resignation Intensify

Pressure Mounts on FIFA President Gianni Infantino as Calls for Resignation Intensify

Ohis Asein

Pressure is mounting on FIFA President Gianni Infantino, with senior football officials reportedly threatening to boycott FIFA activities unless he steps down, as the fallout from the governing body's abandoned investment plan deepens.

According to senior UEFA sources, opponents of the 56-year-old FIFA chief have vowed there will be "no going back" while Infantino remains in office, following the collapse of his controversial proposal to sell minority stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors.

The growing rebellion has sparked discussions of "non-cooperation" with FIFA, with senior officials indicating that one of the first steps could be a refusal to participate in FIFA meetings.

The crisis comes after UEFA threatened legal action over the investment proposal, while the Football Association of Wales has officially withdrawn its support for Infantino's bid for a fourth term as FIFA President. England's Football Association is also expected to follow the same path.

Infantino is due to seek re-election in March for what would be his final term in office. To retain the presidency, he must secure at least 106 votes from FIFA's 211 member associations.

BBC Sport reports that the Scottish Football Association remains aligned with UEFA's position, expressing a lack of confidence in Infantino's leadership.

The FIFA President had already come under heavy criticism from UEFA, Concacaf, and other football governing bodies over the now-abandoned investment proposal. More member associations, including Serbia, Sweden, and Finland, have since withdrawn their support.

Despite the mounting opposition, Infantino continues to enjoy backing from several nations, including Morocco, Qatar, Lebanon, Kuwait, and Sri Lanka.

The balance of voting power across FIFA's six confederations remains crucial. UEFA controls 55 votes, Africa 54, Asia 46, Concacaf 35, Oceania 11, and CONMEBOL 10.

While the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has expressed solidarity with UEFA and Concacaf over concerns surrounding the investment proposal, Africa, CONMEBOL, and Oceania have yet to openly criticize Infantino.

Attention is also turning to the FIFA Council, where an emergency meeting could be convened to discuss Infantino's future if at least 19 of its 37 members request one. Under FIFA statutes, such a meeting must take place within two weeks of the request.

As divisions widen within world football, the coming months are shaping up to be one of the biggest leadership tests of Gianni Infantino's presidency, with his political support increasingly under scrutiny ahead of the March election.