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FIFA Crisis Deepens as Serbia and Sweden Withdraw Support for Infantino

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces a setback as Serbia and Sweden withdraw support for his re-election bid, following Wales' earlier decision.
  • The withdrawals stem from criticism over FIFA's governance and leadership, particularly after abandoning a plan to sell a stake in a commercial entity.
  • This escalation of opposition raises further questions about Infantino's leadership amid ongoing concerns about FIFA's transparency and management.

Zurich – FIFA President Gianni Infantino's campaign for another term has suffered a significant blow as Serbia and Sweden withdrew their support, mirroring an earlier move by Wales. This marks a fresh setback amid mounting criticism of his leadership and FIFA's governance practices.

The backlash intensified following FIFA's decision to shelve a controversial proposal to sell a roughly 20 percent stake in a new commercial entity overseeing major competitions, including the FIFA World Cup, to private investors. The plan, which aimed to generate up to $4.2 billion, was abandoned on Friday due to strong opposition from various stakeholders.

We remind that we provided Mr. Infantino with our support on May 25 of this year in written form, but after carefully reviewing the events that, in the recent period, have seriously damaged the image and reputation of both FIFA and its President, this is the only logical and rational decision.

— Football Association of SerbiaThe Serbian FA explained its decision to withdraw support for Infantino.

The Football Association of Serbia stated that it reversed its earlier endorsement, citing recent events that have "seriously damaged the image and reputation of both FIFA and its President." The Swedish Football Association echoed these sentiments, announcing its decision after an assessment of developments within FIFA. Their statement highlighted "recurring shortcomings in governance, transparency and management," concluding that "trust in Gianni Infantino’s leadership no longer exists."

Wales was the first national football association to formally withdraw its endorsement. According to Reuters, England's Football Association is also expected to follow suit. These withdrawals represent a significant escalation in opposition to Infantino, amplifying concerns over FIFA's leadership and its handling of governance issues, particularly in light of the collapsed commercial investment plan.

This is after a long-term assessment of the development within FIFA and the organization’s leadership. The decision is based on recurring shortcomings in governance, transparency and management, which means that trust in Gianni Infantino’s leadership no longer exists.

— Swedish Football AssociationThe Swedish FA detailed the reasons behind their withdrawal of support, citing governance issues.
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Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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