Sweden and Wales have withdrawn their support for Infantino in the FIFA presidential election
The soccer associations of Sweden and Wales have decided to withdraw their support for Gianni Infantino in the upcoming election for president of the International Federation of Association Football. England may join them in the near future.
Thus, the number of countries reevaluating their stance on the current FIFA president is gradually increasing.
“At an extraordinary board meeting on Monday, the Swedish Football Association decided not to support FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the upcoming election,” the association said in a statement.
It is noted that this decision was made due to mismanagement and a lack of transparency, which have eroded confidence in Infantino.
At the same time, the statement notes that the Swedish Football Association will now work together with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and other associations to find another candidate for the position of FIFA president.
On Sunday night, the Football Association of Wales also announced a similar decision.
Sky News, citing sources, also reports that the Football Association of England—one of the most influential—is preparing to send a letter to FIFA stating that it, too, is withdrawing its support for Infantino.
Many national associations had previously expressed dissatisfaction with Infantino, but had not yet announced their refusal to support him in the election. In particular, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, and Belgium were dissatisfied with the current president’s actions.
It was previously reported that the heads of European soccer federations had begun searching for a new candidate for the position of FIFA president.
In July, media outlets reported that more than 200 of FIFA’s 211 member associations had endorsed Infantino’s candidacy for the 2027 election. However, the associations’ confidence in the incumbent president was threatened after he announced his intention to open up the organization of the World Cup to private investors.
This sparked outrage among soccer federations—especially in Europe, North America, and Asia. Critics accused Infantino of betraying the interests of soccer and soccer players in his quest to make more money from hosting tournaments.
Sky News reported this on Monday.
UEFA has threatened to take FIFA to court over the plan to sell stakes in the World Cup, according to The Athletic.
European soccer associations will discuss this week the possibility of boycotting the World Cup if FIFA President Gianni Infantino proceeds with plans to create a new commercial structure and bring in private investors.
FIFA plans to change the governance model for its major soccer tournaments. The organization is creating a new company to which it will transfer the commercial rights to the World Cup, and it intends to sell a portion of its shares to investors. One of the main contenders to participate in the project is said to be the fund of American billionaire Joshua Kushner—the brother of Ivanka Trump’s husband.
