Gianni Infantino has lost the backing of the French Football Federation (FFF), adding another major challenge to the FIFA president’s bid for another term.
The FFF said its executive committee unanimously decided to withdraw its support for Infantino, citing growing concerns over FIFA’s governance, transparency and recent decisions.
France had initially backed Infantino on June 29, when he was the only declared candidate for the FIFA presidency. The federation now says the circumstances surrounding that endorsement have changed significantly.
French federation breaks with Infantino
The FFF said developments since its initial endorsement have raised issues that it considers incompatible with the principles expected of football’s global governing body.
At the centre of the dispute is Infantino’s controversial proposal involving FIFA’s commercial and event-organising rights.
FIFA had explored a plan that could have generated $4.2 billion through the sale of World Cup-related stakes to private-equity investors.
The proposal was withdrawn on August 1 after attracting widespread opposition.
But for the FFF, abandoning the plan has not settled the broader governance question.
The federation argues that recent decisions have damaged confidence in FIFA and contributed to divisions within world football.
UEFA and other federations also turn against Infantino
France is not alone in expressing dissatisfaction.
UEFA has also questioned its relationship with Infantino, saying it no longer has confidence in the FIFA president. The European governing body has previously raised the possibility of boycotting FIFA competitions amid tensions over the direction of the organisation.
Several national associations have also withdrawn their support.
Among them are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, whose football associations collectively account for half of the membership of the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
The growing opposition creates an increasingly difficult political landscape for Infantino as he prepares for another presidential contest.
Infantino set for another term bid
FIFA confirmed on Sunday that Infantino plans to seek another term in office at the election scheduled for March.
If successful, it would be his final term and would keep him at the head of world football through 2031.
The latest development means his campaign will now face questions not only about his leadership but also about FIFA’s wider governance structure.
FFF calls for FIFA reform
The French federation has gone beyond simply withdrawing its endorsement.
It is calling for a major overhaul of FIFA’s governance framework and plans to consult French and international football figures as part of that effort.
The stated objective is to rebuild confidence in FIFA, increase transparency and strengthen the independence and standards expected from the organisation responsible for governing world football.
That puts France firmly on the side of those demanding institutional change.
A bigger battle over football’s future
The dispute is no longer simply about whether Infantino should remain FIFA president.
It has become a broader argument over how world football should be governed, who should influence its commercial decisions and how much transparency member associations should expect from FIFA leadership.
With France now withdrawing its backing and opposition growing elsewhere, Infantino’s path to another term could become considerably more complicated.
For now, the message from Paris is clear: the FFF no longer believes its previous support for Infantino can stand.
