Pressure grows on FIFA chief Infantino to resign as FA member pulls support

A football association from the UK has become the first to officially withdraw its support for Infantino’s re-election next March, days after he U-turned on plans to ‘sell off’ the World Cup

A British football association has become the first FIFA member to officially pull its support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election.

The move is set to heap pressure on the Italian, who faces a severe backlash over his plans ‘sell off’ the World Cup. Even after cancelling the project, set to be led by a close Donald Trump ally, the FIFA President is rapidly losing support from major players in the game.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has now reportedly made its position clear and written to FIFA to withdraw its support for Infantino’s re-election.

The FAW also backed a boycott of FIFA competitions orchestrated by European governing body, UEFA, in response to Infantino’s plan to create a private company, open to investment, to run its headline competitions to raise billions of pounds.

It was reportedly going to be led by Joshua Kushner, the brother of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. After Infantino’s plans were revealed by the media, before some high-ranking FIFA officials were even informed of his intentions, he faced a severe backlash.

UEFA, the organisation which runs European football, said it would boycott FIFA competitions until the plans were killed, and CONCACAF, its North American counterpart, also criticised the plans. Key advisers to Infantino also resigned in protest.

Italian Infantino is due for re-election in March, but his future at the top of world football looks in doubt after this latest scandal.

Now, the FAW has heaped pressure on his tenure, officially withdrawing its support for Infantino’s re-election, according to reports.

The association told Sky News it “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 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.

“The Football Association of Wales has written to FIFA to inform them of their position.”

Other British football associations are yet to follow suit, but all approved the UEFA boycott. However, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has gone one step further and said Infantino is ‘the wrong man’ to lead FIFA.