The Italian Football Federation has joined a growing number of countries in withdrawing its backing for FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The FIGC announced on Wednesday that it would not support Infantino’s reelection bid in March due to recent FIFA governance and international competition development initiatives.
Infantino has faced mounting pressure to resign following his now-abandoned proposal to sell shares of the World Cup to private equity investors. Three continental confederations accused him of deception, and UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA events.
FIGC President Giovanni Malagò stated, “We will collaborate with UEFA and other European federations to advocate for a soccer vision based on merit, solidarity, sustainability, and fan-centeredness. We endorse a model of dialogue, listening, and shared responsibility that has fostered soccer’s growth, innovation, and defense of its core principles.”
England, Wales, and Ireland’s football federations had previously withdrawn their support for Infantino’s reelection. Norway also called for his resignation, with five other Nordic countries expressing a lack of confidence in his leadership.
Infantino, FIFA president since 2016, was expected to be reelected unopposed in Morocco next year before the backlash over his proposals. Some FIFA member federations, including 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco, Qatar, and Lebanon, continue to support him, while Saudi Arabia, the 2034 host, has not publicly endorsed him despite close political ties.
UEFA is poised to retract its boycott threat against FIFA competitions after receiving assurances that Infantino’s failed World Cup sell-off plan will not be revived. This move will allow six European teams to participate in the upcoming FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
The controversy arose when Infantino’s $20 billion subsidiary plan was revealed, which included a 20% ownership by investors led by a New York fund. Following UEFA’s discontent and the boycott threat, Infantino abandoned the proposal within days. UEFA demanded guarantees that the spinoff, dubbed FIFA Forward Enterprise, would not resurface in a different form, which have now been provided.
On August 1, UEFA expressed a lack of confidence in Infantino’s leadership, signaling its intention to oppose his reelection in March.