A bruising 24 hours - what next for Fifa and under-pressure Infantino?

FIFA President Gianni Infantino's position appears to be under threat following his reported attempt to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investment firms, allegedly without the knowledge of other FIFA officials. This move has ignited significant opposition, particularly from UEFA, which has historically been Infantino's staunchest critic.

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A week is a long time in politics. Football politics.

UEFA escalated its opposition by threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, a move that signals a potential turning point in the efforts to remove Infantino. The European football governing body now senses a prime opportunity to oust the current FIFA president. However, dissatisfaction is not limited to UEFA; Concacaf, with which Infantino closely collaborated on organizing the 2026 World Cup, has called for a "full review" of FIFA's leadership. Even traditionally loyal members of the Asian Football Confederation have reportedly distanced themselves from Infantino.

The situation has been further complicated by the departure of two of Infantino's close allies: senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro and chief operating officer Kevin Lamour. After Infantino backtracked on his investment plan in the early hours of Saturday, UEFA issued a strong statement declaring it had lost confidence in him, intensifying the pressure.

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Now, after trying to sells stakes in Fifa competitions to private investments firms - apparently without the knowledge of anyone else - Infantino's position appears to be under threat.

Several potential pathways exist for Infantino's exit. The most direct route would be his resignation, mirroring his predecessor Sepp Blatter's departure in 2015. However, Infantino retains some support and could attempt to hold out until March, when he is eligible for re-election for a fourth term. Alternatively, the FIFA Council could convene an emergency meeting, which requires the support of 19 out of 37 council members. Such a meeting could call for Infantino's resignation, though he could refuse to comply, adding further pressure.

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Uefa - Infantino's fiercest critic - dealt its trump card on Thursday by threatening to boycott all Fifa competitions, including the World Cup.

Should these measures fail, an extraordinary congress of FIFA's 211 member associations could be triggered if one-fifth, or 43 associations, formally request it. UEFA, with 55 member nations, has the power to initiate this process. While such a congress could take two to three months to organize, it could ultimately lead to a vote of no confidence. Achieving the required 106 votes for such a motion would depend on securing support from confederations like Africa, Asia, and South America, some of which have not yet criticized Infantino's plan.

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Concacaf, the confederation Infantino worked so closely with to organise the 2026 World Cup, has called for a "full review" into the leadership of Fifa in light of Infantino's plan.