Wales FA withdraws support for Infantino re-election after FIFA stake plan
✓Wales is the first football federation to formally withdraw support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election bid after a botched World Cup investment plan was scrapped.
Wales said it will withdraw support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s re-election bid for a new term from 2027-2031, after his failed plan to sell a stake in the World Cup’s commercial rights.
FIFA’s ambitious plan to unlock up to $4.2bn from private investors by selling a roughly 20 percent stake in a new entity overseeing competitions, including the World Cup, ended in retreat on Friday after fierce resistance from stakeholders.
With the plan abandoned, attention has turned to the potential repercussions for Infantino, whose bid for another term as FIFA president could face increased scrutiny following the failed initiative.
Wales became the first national federation to formally withdraw its support for Infantino.
“The Football Association of Wales hereby confirms its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr. Gianni Infantino, for re-election as FIFA President for the 2027–2031 term,” the Welsh FA said in a statement on Monday.
“The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr. Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football.
“Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”
FIFA are yet to publicly comment on the Wales statement.
Infantino is under unprecedented fire after regional confederations for Europe (UEFA) and North and Central America (CONCACAF) said on Saturday they had lost confidence in his leadership.
The European governing body, which led the backlash to Infantino’s plans and welcomed the decision to scrap it, did not confirm media reports that it was preparing to take legal action against FIFA over the issue.
UEFA said it had sent a document preservation order, which stops the destruction of emails, files or data when an investigation is expected.
Infantino had said in April he intended to seek re-election for a fourth term as FIFA chief. Since taking over from Sepp Blatter in 2016, the Swiss has been re-elected unopposed twice and appeared in control of the body.
While his re-election for the 2027-31 term had appeared a formality, experts told Reuters that the backlash against the failed proposal exposed dissatisfaction among FIFA members and could complicate his path ahead of March’s Congress in Morocco.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · BBC ↗ · Al Jazeera ↗
FIFA president Gianni Infantino's bid for re-election has been complicated by the withdrawal of support from multiple major football federations. Wales became the first national federation to formally withdraw backing for his 2027-2031 term on Monday, citing governance and leadership concerns. This followed the scrapping of Infantino's plan to unlock $4.2 billion by selling approximately 20% of a newly created entity managing global competitions including the World Cup. The proposal faced substantial resistance from stakeholders and confederations. UEFA and CONCACAF separately withdrew confidence in his leadership over the weekend. UEFA also issued a document preservation order, signalling potential further action. Infantino has led FIFA since 2016 and was previously re-elected unopposed twice. The failed initiative has exposed underlying dissatisfaction among FIFA members that could affect his path toward the membership vote at March's Congress in Morocco.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · BBC ↗ · Al Jazeera ↗
Wales is the first football federation to formally withdraw support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election bid after a botched World Cup investment plan was scrapped.
Wales said it will withdraw support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s re-election bid for a new term from 2027-2031, after his failed plan to sell a stake in the World Cup’s commercial rights.
FIFA’s ambitious plan to unlock up to $4.2bn from private investors by selling a roughly 20 percent stake in a new entity overseeing competitions, including the World Cup, ended in retreat on Friday after fierce resistance from stakeholders.
With the plan abandoned, attention has turned to the potential repercussions for Infantino, whose bid for another term as FIFA president could face increased scrutiny following the failed initiative.
Wales became the first national federation to formally withdraw its support for Infantino.
“The Football Association of Wales hereby confirms its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr. Gianni Infantino, for re-election as FIFA President for the 2027–2031 term,” the Welsh FA said in a statement on Monday.
“The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr. Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football.
“Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”
FIFA are yet to publicly comment on the Wales statement.
Infantino is under unprecedented fire after regional confederations for Europe (UEFA) and North and Central America (CONCACAF) said on Saturday they had lost confidence in his leadership.
The European governing body, which led the backlash to Infantino’s plans and welcomed the decision to scrap it, did not confirm media reports that it was preparing to take legal action against FIFA over the issue.
UEFA said it had sent a document preservation order, which stops the destruction of emails, files or data when an investigation is expected.
Infantino had said in April he intended to seek re-election for a fourth term as FIFA chief. Since taking over from Sepp Blatter in 2016, the Swiss has been re-elected unopposed twice and appeared in control of the body.
While his re-election for the 2027-31 term had appeared a formality, experts told Reuters that the backlash against the failed proposal exposed dissatisfaction among FIFA members and could complicate his path ahead of March’s Congress in Morocco.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · BBC ↗ · Al Jazeera ↗
Wales FA formally withdrew support for Infantino's re-election bid for the 2027-2031 term on Monday Wales cited failures in governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement as reasons for withdrawal FIFA's plan to sell a roughly 20% stake in a new competition management entity was scrapped on Friday The plan aimed to unlock up to $4.2 billion from private investors UEFA and CONCACAF withdrew confidence in Infantino's leadership on Saturday UEFA issued a document preservation order signalling preparation for potential legal action Infantino has led FIFA since 2016 and was re-elected unopposed twice The failed proposal exposed dissatisfaction among FIFA members that could complicate Infantino's path ahead of March's Congress in Morocco Infantino's re-election had previously appeared a formality
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · BBC ↗ · Al Jazeera ↗
- Wales FA formally withdrew support for Gianni Infantino's re-election as FIFA president, citing governance failures following his scrapped plan to sell a 20% stake in World Cup commercial rights
- FIFA's failed $4.2bn investment scheme faced fierce resistance from stakeholders and was abandoned on Friday
- UEFA and CONCACAF also withdrew confidence in Infantino's leadership; a legal action document preservation order was issued by UEFA
- Infantino's re-election for 2027-2031, previously expected to be unopposed, now faces increased scrutiny ahead of March's Congress in Morocco