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Continental football bodies plan to 'paralyze' FIFA and oust Infantino: report
๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ฎ Finland /Sports

Continental football bodies plan to 'paralyze' FIFA and oust Infantino: report

From Helsingin Sanomat · () Finnish

Translated from Finnish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • European football confederation UEFA, along with CONCACAF and AFC, reportedly plans to "paralyze" FIFA and oust its president, Gianni Infantino.
  • The move stems from Infantino's controversial plan to sell a 21% stake in a new company managing FIFA's commercial rights to private investors.
  • The confederations may resort to an "administrative boycott" by refusing to attend meetings and ratify decisions, potentially leading to boycotts of FIFA competitions and the creation of alternative tournaments.

Pressure is mounting on FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as reports suggest that continental confederations are plotting to "paralyze" the organization and remove him from power. According to sources cited by The Times, UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC are united in their opposition to Infantino's leadership and his controversial commercial strategies.

The core of the dispute lies in Infantino's plan to establish a new company that would manage the commercial rights for World Cups and other FIFA events. This entity would then sell a 21% ownership stake to private investors, a move that has reportedly caused significant alarm among the confederations.

To counter Infantino's agenda, these football bodies are reportedly considering an "administrative boycott." This strategy would involve refusing to participate in FIFA Council and committee meetings and withholding ratification of FIFA's decisions. Such a coordinated action could severely disrupt FIFA's operations and undermine Infantino's authority.

Furthermore, the confederations are allegedly prepared to boycott FIFA competitions altogether. This could pave the way for the establishment of alternative international tournaments, potentially fracturing the global football landscape. UEFA, in particular, is said to have already explored the possibility of expanding its Nations League into a global competition back in 2017, though the initiative did not materialize at the time.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Helsingin Sanomat in Finnish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.