FIFA has strongly condemned what it described as a “concerted and ongoing effort” to undermine President Gianni Infantino, as pressure mounts on the FIFA chief from European football authorities and other critics.
The statement came after The Daily Telegraph reported allegations concerning a departure payment made to a woman who was reportedly involved in a relationship with Infantino during his time as UEFA general secretary. Infantino has categorically denied the allegations, while UEFA confirmed that a payment was made and said it complied with the rules in place at the time.
FIFA said attempts to weaken Infantino and the organization should not be pursued through allegations, insinuations or misinformation outside the governing body’s established democratic procedures.
The controversy adds to the growing pressure on Infantino following the collapse of his controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which involved plans to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors. The proposal faced strong opposition from UEFA and several football associations before being abandoned.
UEFA has publicly withdrawn its confidence in Infantino’s leadership and has maintained the possibility of boycotting FIFA events if its concerns are not addressed. Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness has also called for Infantino to resign.
FIFA, however, insists that Infantino remains democratically elected by its member associations and continues to govern with their mandate.
The governing body also warned that those unable to secure sufficient support from member associations should not attempt to achieve through media campaigns or other means what cannot be accomplished through FIFA’s established democratic process.
While opposition to Infantino has been particularly strong in Europe, he continues to enjoy support in other regions. South America’s CONMEBOL and Africa’s CAF have backed him, while Mexico’s football federation has said it would reject any attempt to remove him without a vote involving FIFA’s 211 member associations.
The widening dispute has deepened a leadership crisis at FIFA ahead of Infantino’s bid for a fourth term, with the future of his presidency increasingly becoming a major issue within global football.
