French Football Federation Withdraws Support for FIFA President Infantino

The French Football Federation (FFF) has publicly declared its withdrawal of support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who is facing fierce backlash from the football community over controversies surrounding tournament operations such as the World Cup.

In a statement issued on the 10th (local time), the FFF announced, "During an executive committee meeting held in Paris today, it was unanimously decided not to support Infantino ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco."

The FFF explained, "While we initially expressed support when Infantino was the sole candidate at the time, the prerequisites for maintaining that support are no longer being met. Since our expression of support on June 29, a series of events directly linked to FIFA's governance or the president have directly clashed with the fundamental principles of governance and the values of football."

President Infantino faced backlash from the football world in July after revealing plans to establish a subsidiary dedicated to operating tournaments such as the World Cup and sell a 20 percent stake in it to a U.S. private equity fund.

Although the plan was soon withdrawn, he faced calls for resignation from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), alongside declarations of withdrawn support from individual national associations.

The FFF also criticized the lack of transparency in the decision-making process regarding the attempted sale of stakes in major tournaments like the World Cup, stating, "FIFA's governance falls short of the standards that football must represent."

It emphasized, "Thanks to a joint response within UEFA in cooperation with several other continental confederations, this project was ultimately scrapped, but the issue of FIFA governance cannot yet be considered resolved."

The FFF added, "We urge the establishment of a global football plan to fundamentally reform FIFA governance and ensure the continued development of football through consultations with continental confederations, national football associations, and all stakeholders, including players and fans. We will begin consultations with domestic and international figures recognized for their governance expertise beyond sports."

Amid President Infantino's recent reaffirmation that his intention to run for election remains unchanged, foreign media reports have also emerged suggesting that there are no problems for his path to a fourth term.

Citing multiple sources, Reuters reported, "President Infantino appears to have secured enough votes for reelection. This means opponents must change their strategy and focus on limiting his power," adding, "This is a complete reversal from the expectations of high-ranking football officials who believed his position could not be maintained."
(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.