Uefa’s Continued Dissatisfaction
Uefa has stated that Fifa’s recent backing of its president, Gianni Infantino, does not alter its position regarding his leadership. The European governing body had previously expressed a loss of confidence in Infantino following a proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. This stance remains, with Uefa asserting that its conditions for reversing its position have not been met.
The conditions set by Uefa included the withdrawal of proposals to sell off major competitions and assurances that similar attempts to “disfigure the game” would not be made again. Despite the plan being aborted, Uefa believes these conditions have not been fulfilled. The organisation had previously described the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal.”
The English FA has formally withdrawn its support for Infantino’s re-election, which is scheduled for March 2027. This decision was made in response to the plan for private investment in tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, through the FFE subsidiary.
Reactions and Internal Dynamics
During a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, Fifa acknowledged “mistakes” regarding the FFE, stating it was “not the intention” for the Fifa Council and member associations to “feel excluded from the process.” Fifa also admitted that the process should have been handled differently. However, Uefa’s statement indicated that the announcement of support for Infantino from some Fifa employees, whose careers depend on his favour, “changes nothing.”
FIFPRO, the world players’ union, has condemned what it calls an “abuse of presidential power” concerning Infantino’s abandoned plans. FIFPRO noted Fifa’s statement with “deep concern” and criticised the governing body for allowing the plans to be developed. The union also demanded “legally-binding engagement” with professional football stakeholders on issues such as the international match calendar and the expansion of Fifa competitions.
Infantino, who was chauffeured to the meeting in Rabat, appeared emboldened despite the controversy. He summoned members of the Fifa management board to discuss the events of the past week. Among those present were secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, finance chief Thomas Peyer, legal chief Emilio Garcia Silvero, chief of staff Daniel O’Toole, chief of member associations Elkhan Mammadov, and media relations director Bryan Swanson.
Notably, Fifa’s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, was reportedly not invited to the meeting. Lamour had strongly criticised Infantino’s FFE plan, calling it “the project of one person” and suggesting that football’s political leaders needed to ask themselves the right questions. He had also stated that he would sleep well even if he lost his job over his stance.
Potential Boycott and Future Challenges
A boycott of Fifa tournaments remains a key option for Uefa. The first test of this stance will occur with the Fifa Women’s U20s World Cup, which is set to begin in Poland on 5 September. Six European countries, including England, are scheduled to participate in the tournament.
For senior national teams, the next significant test of a boycott could come in October, when England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland are scheduled to compete in play-offs for qualification to the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup.
Uefa has considered forcing an emergency meeting of the Fifa Council to hold Infantino accountable, but securing the necessary 19 of 36 confederation and football association heads has proven difficult. Another option is a vote of no confidence, which would require a majority of Fifa’s 211 member associations, or 106 votes, to pass. However, Uefa may not pursue this if it believes it cannot reach the required number of votes.
The possibility of finding a unity candidate to challenge Infantino in the presidential election next March is also being considered, with Concacaf president Victor Montagliani mentioned as a potential candidate. However, any delay could allow Infantino to strengthen his position, especially with Fifa planning to announce new funding for member associations by the end of the year.
The feeling within Uefa is that Fifa’s statement did not represent the entire world governing body and lacked consultation with the council or membership. Some within Uefa believe Infantino is attempting to avoid personal responsibility for the aborted proposals. In contrast, some Infantino loyalists within Fifa view the criticism, particularly from Europe, as “hysteria” and believe it disregards his global legitimacy. Fifa has also warned that it “will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process.”
Source: bbc.com
