Pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino is intensifying, with senior figures inside world football reportedly urging him to resign despite his decision to abandon a controversial plan involving private investment in FIFA competitions.
British journalist Ben Jacobs said on Sunday on X that UEFA was preparing to withdraw its written support for Infantino in full. Members of CONCACAF were also said to be preparing to take the same step.
Jacobs added that several senior officials within FIFA’s leadership were pushing for Infantino to leave office. They reportedly believe a vote of no confidence could be considered if the president refuses to step down.
The growing opposition follows Infantino’s proposal to establish a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprise. The organisation would have combined FIFA’s commercial operations with its tournament-organising activities, while allowing private-sector investors to acquire a stake.
The plan faced resistance from several of FIFA’s confederations. UEFA had warned that it would boycott FIFA competitions if Infantino continued with the project, while the proposal also drew opposition from the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF.
UEFA’s reported position would represent a significant escalation in the dispute. The organisation had already threatened to distance itself from FIFA competitions, but is now said to be considering withdrawing its formal written backing for Infantino altogether.
The controversy also led to the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to the FIFA president. The proposal was criticised by Kevin Lamour, FIFA’s French chief operating officer, adding to the internal pressure facing Infantino.
Faced with mounting resistance across the global game, Infantino eventually announced that he was abandoning the plan. However, the decision has not ended the criticism directed at his leadership.
UEFA appears to remain determined to remove Infantino from the FIFA presidency, according to Jacobs’ report. CONCACAF has also called for a “review of the FIFA presidency”, further underlining the extent of the opposition.
The developments suggest that the dispute has moved beyond disagreement over a single commercial restructuring proposal and into a broader challenge to Infantino’s position at the head of world football. Senior figures are now considering whether his leadership can continue, while the possibility of a no-confidence vote remains a potential next step if he does not resign.
Infantino’s plan had been presented through the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would have brought together FIFA’s business interests and the organisation of its tournaments under one new structure. Opening part of that company to private investors triggered objections from within FIFA’s confederations and among senior officials.
Although withdrawing the proposal was intended to ease the conflict, the backlash has continued. UEFA’s potential withdrawal of support and CONCACAF’s call for a review of the presidency indicate that opposition to Infantino is now focused not only on the abandoned project but also on his future leadership of FIFA.