“A failure we cannot accept”: First nation publicly withdraws support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino

Wales has become the first country to publicly withdraw its support for Gianni Infantino continuing as FIFA president.

The Swiss executive has come under fire in many parts of the world after spearheading a plan to privatize parts of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions. World soccer’s governing body abandoned the proposal after facing overwhelming opposition from national federations across the globe.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the first national association to withdraw its support for Infantino’s re-election bid for the 2027-2031 term after previously backing him. A raft of others are expected to follow.

“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,” the FAW said in a statement. “Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”

UEFA and Concacaf turn up the pressure on FIFA

At the weekend, UEFA and Concacaf both issued scathing attacks on FIFA and Infantino.

UEFA blasted FIFA’s “secret schemes on fast track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game,” and insisted it was necessary to “identify those responsible and hold them to account.”

Concacaf, meanwhile, highlighted FIFA’s “poor governance and leadership” and similarly claimed that “accountability can not be optional.”

UEFA stopped short of explicitly calling for Infantino to step down, although its warning that “no option should be off the table” led many to speculate that the FIFA president’s position will soon come under serious scrutiny.

Infantino faces calls for FIFA leadership change

Additionally, according to British newspaper The Telegraph, all 55 UEFA member associations are prepared to trigger a vote of no confidence in Infantino if he does not resign voluntarily.

The growing opposition represents the biggest challenge yet to Infantino’s position since he became FIFA president in 2016.

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