Pressure mounts on FIFA chief Infantino as UEFA calls for his exit

UEFA has escalated its power struggle with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, signaling that his resignation is expected after the failure of a multi-billion dollar investor plan. The European football union, led by President Aleksander Ceferin, issued strong statements suggesting Infantino should step down.

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The current FIFA leadership has not only lost the trust of UEFA but also that of many other members of the football family.

The criticism comes after Infantino made a U-turn on his highly controversial commercial project amid global outrage and intense public pressure. UEFA declared this a "victory for the whole game" but warned it must not be the end of the matter. They condemned "secret machinations, hatched in haste by faceless individuals whose benefit to the sport is questionable," and demanded that "those responsible be identified and held accountable."

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This is a victory for the whole game. But it must not be the end of the story.

UEFA described the deal Infantino attempted to push through as "shabby, negotiated behind closed doors and opaque," and the "exact opposite of transparency." The union plans to analyze with member associations how this situation arose to prevent future occurrences, stating that "no option can be ruled out from the outset."

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We cannot continue like this - with secret machinations, hatched in haste by faceless individuals whose benefit to the sport is questionable.

Josef Pröll, chairman of the Austrian Football Association's supervisory board, also voiced strong criticism. He called the withdrawal of the investor plan a "first correct step" but cautioned that "one cannot simply move on." Pröll emphasized that many questions remain and that football faces an "intensive period of fundamental discussions." He expressed readiness to lead these discussions with associations and UEFA to ensure a "sustainable and trustworthy future for football, where the sport is at the center."

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The shabby, negotiated behind closed doors and opaque deal, which he brokered and then tried to push through, was the exact opposite of transparency.