The French Football Federation officially withdrew its support this Thursday for Gianni Infantino in his bid for a new term as FIFA president. The decision was made during the FFF executive committee meeting, following several weeks of tensions between French football and the head of the global body. Philippe Diallo had already announced at the end of August that he wanted the Federation to take an official stance.
This break follows the crisis triggered this summer by Gianni Infantino’s project to open part of the World Cup’s commercial activities to private investors. Facing international backlash, FIFA ultimately abandoned the project just days after its presentation.
Philippe Diallo confirms the break: “Trust has been broken”
The FFF president directly justified the decision made by the executive committee. Philippe Diallo believes that Gianni Infantino’s recent choices have deeply damaged relations with some national federations.
“His initiatives have seriously harmed the image and unity of football. Therefore, we consider that trust has been broken”, declared the president of the French Federation.
Even before this decision, Philippe Diallo was already criticizing the method FIFA used to make certain decisions. At the end of August, he stated: “We can no longer learn about major decisions affecting football through the press. We can no longer endure decisions without being consulted or involved.”
The World Cup stake sale project ignited the controversy
The crisis erupted at the end of July when FIFA presented FIFA Forward Enterprise, a company intended to consolidate part of its main commercial activities. Up to 20% of its capital could have been opened to private investors, in a deal potentially worth several billion dollars.
The idea immediately met opposition from European football. UEFA publicly withdrew support for Gianni Infantino and criticized how the project had been prepared. The 55 European federations rejected the project, while other confederations also expressed opposition.
Gianni Infantino eventually announced the abandonment of the plan. A few days later, FIFA apologized to its 211 member federations while maintaining support for its president. The leadership acknowledged the need to improve internal processes after this episode.
France joins federations now refusing Infantino
The FFF joins several federations that have already announced they will not support Gianni Infantino in the upcoming election. Sweden, Scotland, Italy, and Belgium notably withdrew their support. Sandor Csanyi, president of the Hungarian Federation and vice-president of the FIFA Council, has also distanced himself from the leader.
This opposition is also supported by UEFA. Several European officials have even worked on the possibility of a motion of no confidence against Gianni Infantino, as criticisms focus on FIFA’s governance and the lack of consultation attributed to its president.
Infantino remains a candidate for re-election in March 2027
Gianni Infantino has not given up. FIFA president since 2016, he officially announced in May that he would run for re-election in 2027. To date, he remains the only declared candidate.
The election is scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco. France will therefore not vote for Gianni Infantino in the current configuration. With the decision made this Thursday by the FFF and Philippe Diallo’s unequivocal statement, the break between French football and the FIFA president is now official.
