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English FA withdraws support for FIFA President Infantino amid backlash
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Sports

English FA withdraws support for FIFA President Infantino amid backlash

From Vanguard · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The English Football Association (FA) has withdrawn its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
  • This decision follows Infantino's controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup, which was met with global backlash and withdrawn last week.
  • UEFA also reaffirmed its boycott plan against World Cups in protest of Infantino's "shabby" scheme, despite FIFA directors backing him.

The English Football Association (FA) has officially withdrawn its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, according to reports on Thursday. This move comes after Infantino's contentious proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in the World Cup to private equity investors through his FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative. The plan faced widespread criticism and was ultimately scrapped last week following a significant global backlash.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has lost the “confidence” of the UEFA, European football’s governing body, it said in a statement on August 1, 2026, after his plan to allow private investment in the World Cup was withdrawn following a global backlash.

— UEFA statementAnnouncing UEFA's loss of confidence in Infantino following the withdrawal of his World Cup investment plan.

The FA communicated its decision by sending a letter detailing its refusal to back Infantino, who is seeking re-election as FIFA president next year. This stance aligns with that of UEFA, European football's governing body, which had previously expressed its loss of confidence in Infantino. UEFA reiterated its plan to boycott the men's and women's World Cups in protest of Infantino's "shabby" plot, stating that FIFA's continued support for him "changed nothing."

The FA has sent a letter underlining its refusal to back Infantino, who wanted to sell a 20 percent stake in the World Cup to private equity investors through his FIFA Forward Enterprise.

— BBC and Sky reportsDetailing the English FA's action and Infantino's controversial proposal.

Despite the mounting pressure and withdrawal of support from key bodies like the FA and UEFA, senior FIFA directors offered backing to the 56-year-old Infantino during an emergency meeting in Morocco on Wednesday. However, global players' union FIFPRO also condemned FIFA and its president on Thursday, accusing them of an "abuse of power" as Infantino attempts to retain his position.

UEFA said in a statement that FIFA’s support of Infantino “changed nothing”.

— UEFA statementReaffirming UEFA's stance despite FIFA directors backing Infantino.

FIFA acknowledged that "mistakes" were made regarding the World Cup stake plan, stating it was "not the intention" for the FIFA Council and member associations to "feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently." Nevertheless, the FA's withdrawal of support signals a deepening rift within the international football community regarding Infantino's leadership and decision-making.

global players’ union, FIFPRO on Thursday condemned FIFA and its president for their “abuse of power”.

— FIFPROCondemning FIFA and Infantino for alleged abuse of power.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Vanguard in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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