Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness demanded that FIFA president Gianni Infantino resign immediately following a board meeting on Thursday. Klaveness stated that the federation no longer had confidence in his leadership after years of accumulating governance concerns that reached a breaking point with the handling of a proposed commercial overhaul. “We decided that there is no trust in Infantino now,” Klaveness told reporters according to multiple accounts including Reuters and the BBC. She added that “the international football cooperation is very much in trouble and we must have a reason to get together now and we want to ask the FIFA president to resign now.” The Norwegian federation plans to pursue the matter through dialogue with FIFA rather than immediately seeking an extraordinary UEFA meeting.
The call stems from FIFA’s late July proposal to create a $20 billion subsidiary that would manage commercial rights for the men’s and women’s World Cups along with other tournaments according to a Reuters report from July 28. The plan would have sold up to a 20 percent stake to private investors in a move that drew immediate and intense opposition from UEFA and several member associations who argued it amounted to selling the soul of the game. FIFA withdrew the proposal within days issued a public apology and acknowledged that it had created uncertainty among stakeholders. The episode exposed deep fractures in the relationship between the world governing body and its regional confederations.
The Argentine Football Association issued a statement expressing continued support for Infantino and welcoming FIFA’s decision to abandon the plan and admit its mistakes. Argentina praised the president’s broader efforts to develop the global game while stressing the importance of institutional stability at FIFA. Similarly the Mexican Football Federation broke ranks with its CONCACAF confederation to back Infantino’s leadership and called for any leadership challenges to follow proper statutes requiring a vote of all 211 member associations. Both statements were reported Friday by BBC Sport and Anadolu Agency as counterweights to the Norwegian position.
The contrasting reactions underscore a widening split within world football governance. UEFA has declared that Infantino has lost its confidence and called for a full review of his leadership while the Confederation of African Football offered unanimous backing to the FIFA president on Thursday according to reports from multiple outlets. CONCACAF had earlier demanded a comprehensive reckoning with the presidency yet Mexico chose to affirm its support for the current leadership. Klaveness expressed hope that other European nations would align with Norway’s stance in ongoing discussions with FIFA.
Klaveness who has led the Norwegian federation since 2022 listed several prior issues that eroded trust including the awarding of major tournaments the decision to grant a FIFA Peace Prize to Donald Trump and the overturning of a ban on United States striker Folarin Balogun. She has consistently voiced criticism of FIFA’s direction and previously supported ethics complaints against the organisation. The latest developments come as Infantino who has presided over FIFA since 2016 prepares for continued scrutiny from reform advocates within the football community.
FIFA has not issued a direct response to the Norwegian call for resignation beyond its earlier apology for the commercial proposal. The organisation maintains that its focus remains on developing the sport worldwide through expanded competitions and increased investment in member associations. Klaveness emphasised that extraordinary measures are now required to restore lasting confidence and cooperation across the international game.
