FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s shrinking support base has lost another member, with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) declaring that it has lost faith in the embattled boss ahead of the upcoming election in March 2027.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the FIGC joined the likes of England, Germany, and the Netherlands to officially pull its support for Infantino’s reelection. This follows his highly controversial plans to sell off stakes in tournaments such as the World Cup, along with various other controversies including his awarding of the Peace Prize to U.S. President Trump, and Iran’s treatment during this summer’s tournament.
Infantino’s leaked sale plan, eventually named the FIFA Forward Enterprise, was the straw that broke the camel's back, prompting governing bodies such as UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC to immediately criticize the organization, the plans, and the President.
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Despite Infantino’s apology and FIFA’s decision to dump the plans, the damage has already been done, and the chances of his reelection appear to be dimming.
“The Italian Football Federation has decided to withdraw its support for Gianni Infantino's candidacy for the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027,” the FIGC said.
“This decision is intended to clearly and transparently express the FIGC's position, in full agreement with UEFA and its president, Aleksander Čeferin, regarding the recent initiatives promoted by the FIFA President regarding the governance and development of international competitions.
“‘We will continue to work alongside UEFA and other European federations to promote a vision of football based on merit, solidarity, sustainability, and the centrality of fans,’ declared FIGC President Giovanni Malagò.
“‘We recognize ourselves in a model of dialogue, listening, and shared responsibility that has thus far allowed football to grow, innovate, and simultaneously defend its founding principles.’”
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This statement comes mere days after the six Nordic football associations released a joint statement, expressing that they “have lost confidence in FIFA's president and are concerned about the organization's governance and decision-making at the highest level.” As of Wednesday, a minimum of 22 nations have pulled their support for Infantino, as per Men In Blazers.
Infantino’s support within FIFA also appears to have dwindled of late, with outspoken FFE critic and now-ex chief operating officer Kevin Lamour fired and former senior advisor to Infantino, Carlos Cordeiro, having resigned. Like Lamour, Cordeiro was also publicly critical of FIFA’s plans.
To make matters worse for Infantino, legendary ex-players have also spoken out against the plans. Luis Figo wrote in the Daily Mailabout Infantino and his plans: “The man who would do that - the man who would try to force through such major changes just to enrich himself and his friends - is a relic of the game's past and should have no part in its future.”
Later, Robert Pires, Juan Sebastián Verón, and other former stars published a joint statement stating that “enough is enough,” explaining, “Change is necessary. Power has blurred the current leadership's ability to distinguish between its own interests and what is best for football. Recent events have made silence impossible.”
While calls for change at the top of FIFA continue to mount, exactly who could replace Infantino remains up in the air, with Čeferin having already ruled himself out.
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