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UEFA calls on European associations to support FIFA president Infantino
Teams 5 augustus 2026

UEFA calls on European associations to support FIFA president Infantino

UEFA president Alexander Ceferin is urging European football associations to withdraw their support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The reason is the debacle surrounding a controversial proposal regarding the commercial exploitation of the World Cup, which has further reduced confidence in the FIFA leadership.

UEFA calls on European associations to support FIFA president Infantino

According to Sports.

Background

Gianni Infantino, as FIFA president, is facing increasing criticism and distrust from European football associations. The recent controversy surrounding the FIFA Forward Enterprise has not only weakened its position, but also strained relations with UEFA and other confederations. This could significantly influence his influence on future decisions within FIFA, such as the organization of the 2026 World Cup.

Why this matters

UEFA president Alexander Ceferin's call to withdraw support for Gianni Infantino highlights the growing rift between UEFA and FIFA. This incident could affect the future of cooperation between European football associations and FIFA, especially with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon. Confidence in the FIFA leadership is at stake, which could have consequences for the organization of future tournaments.

Key points

  • UEFA calls on European associations to support FIFA president Infantino.
  • UEFA president Alexander Ceferin urges European football associations to withdraw their support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
  • UEFA president urges European nations to revoke Gianni Infantino support as FIFA chief faces calls to withdraw - Yahoo Spo.
Tensions between UEFA and FIFA have risen again after UEFA president Alexander Ceferin called on European football associations to reconsider their support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The reason for this is the recently canceled plan to establish the 'FIFA Forward Enterprise', a commercial company that would take over the exploitation of, among other things, the World Cup and the Club World Cup. Infantino's proposal sparked a storm of criticism from all corners of international football. Concerns were expressed, especially within Europe, that commercial interests would predominate at the expense of the sporting character of the tournaments. UEFA was the fiercest opponent and, according to various sources, would even have considered boycotting the World Cup if Infantino continued with his plans. With strong support from Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), among others, there was sufficient pressure on the FIFA leadership, which resulted in the plan being withdrawn. Infantino himself admitted that the proposal has caused 'unnecessary division' in football and therefore decided to abandon it. However, there is a prevailing feeling at UEFA that the incident has further damaged the bond of trust with the FIFA president. Ceferin has now reinforced his dissatisfaction by asking the associations to withdraw their previous statements of support for Infantino, in the run-up to the next FIFA presidential election. Image According to international reports, so far more than 200 associations, including forty European organizations such as the English Football Association, have expressed their support for a new term ofInfantino have formally pronounced. But after recent events, that support seems less obvious than before. The FIFA president is under broader fire. Not only the management of the commercial plans, but also decisions surrounding the suspension of Folarin Balogun for the World Cup, the introduction of drinking breaks and ideas for a half-hour entertainment show during the World Cup final, are causing dissatisfaction within the global football community. Now that there are open doubts about Infantino's leadership, names of potential successors are also coming into the picture. Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf, and Nasser Al-Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint-Germain, are often mentioned. The course FIFA will ultimately take towards the 2026 World Cup and beyond depends partly on the coming months and whether the European associations will actually withdraw their support.

What's happening now

European football associations are expected to reconsider their positions in the run-up to the next FIFA presidential elections. The pressure on Infantino could increase, especially if UEFA continues to insist on withdrawing support. This could lead to a restructuring of relations within the international football community and possibly even influence FIFA's commercial strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to Gianni Infantino?

UEFA president Alexander Ceferin has called on European football associations to reconsider their support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino following the cancellation of the 'FIFA Forward Enterprise' plan.

Who made the call to withdraw support from Infantino?

The call was made by UEFA president Alexander Ceferin.

Why has this call been made now?

The call comes after the cancellation of Infantino's commercial plans, which led to much criticism and concerns about commercial interests in football.

What changes will there be after the cancellation of the plan?

Infantino has acknowledged that his proposal has caused 'unnecessary division' and has decided to abandon the plan, further damaging the bond of trust with UEFA.

What are the consequences for the support for Infantino?

Ceferin has asked associations to withdraw their previous declarations of support for Infantino, especially in the run-up to the next FIFA presidential election.

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