Gianni Infantino has received a response to the warning he issued to critics who oppose his re-election as FIFA president. Three football confederations representing 64.5% of the votes in FIFA's presidential election have escalated their campaign against him, accusing him of deception and of betraying the trust of football's institutions.
FIFA had circulated a statement to the confederations that withdrew their confidence in Infantino, saying the organization would not support, facilitate or tolerate any process related to the election of the FIFA president that is inconsistent with FIFA's statutes, democratic procedures and established governance framework. The statement said Infantino was democratically elected by the member associations.
The confederations' letter is signed by Aleksander Ceferin, president of UEFA, Salman Bin Ibrahim al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation, and Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf. It reminds Infantino that football belongs to no individual or institution, but to players, fans, clubs, federations and every institution charged with safeguarding its future, and says it is written from that collective spirit.
Not about money, the confederations say
The letter states the dispute is not about money. The confederations said they have already called for a responsible distribution of FIFA's vast existing reserves to strengthen the development of member federations. It also said no federation would lose the support it has earned, despite what it called a smear campaign suggesting otherwise directed at its members. The letter added the dispute is not about revisiting the expansion of competitions, the distribution of World Cup places, or any other collectively made decision.
Instead, the confederations said the issue is more fundamental: the integrity of the game and of those elected to lead it. Leadership in football is not a possession, the letter says, and is not about hoarding or demanding power, but a duty of service to the football family that grants it. When trust is broken through deception, and an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned, the letter states.
Criticism over World Cup rights sale
The confederations criticized how Infantino tried to approve the sale of part of the World Cup's rights, describing it as a proposal pushed through with tight deadlines, without meaningful consultation, and presented before member federations could properly review it. They said this was not the product of oversight but of a strategy designed to limit scrutiny, and accused Infantino of failing to acknowledge that attempting to sell a stake in the World Cup was a serious error of judgment, not merely a procedural failure, but a fundamental betrayal of the trust placed in the institutions FIFA is meant to serve.
They also criticized his plan to close the matter with an internal investigation rather than have an external authority determine responsibility. The letter says there is silence where there should be accountability, and distance where there should be openness, adding that these are not the qualities football deserves in its leadership. The representatives of European, Asian, and North and Central American and Caribbean football said they had taken this position not lightly or alone, but together, out of commitment to the sport they serve.
Election set for March 2027
The three confederations together hold 64.5% of the votes in FIFA's presidential election, scheduled for March 18, 2027, as part of the organization's 77th congress in Rabat. Infantino currently has the confirmed support of Conmebol, which holds 4.7% of the votes, and is seeking to secure the backing of Africa's confederation, which holds 25.6%, reportedly by offering to host the final of the 2030 World Cup in Morocco instead of Spain, according to The Times.
Infantino defends his record
Infantino has defended himself against the criticism by pointing to achievements during his tenure, including the 2026 World Cup, which he has described as the most global in history, the promotion of women's football, increased direct investment in football development and talent scouting, and a zero-tolerance approach to racism in stadiums through a toughened disciplinary code.
