The French Football Federation announced on Thursday that it had unanimously withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s bid to remain FIFA president through 2031, reversing the backing it extended in June when he stood as the sole candidate for the March 2027 election. FFF president Philippe Diallo told reporters that the trust placed in the FIFA president had been broken and that the way the federation envisages the running of world football no longer corresponds with current practices. In a statement the FFF highlighted a series of events directly involving FIFA’s governance and its president that conflicted with the fundamental principles of good governance and the values of football.
A report in Le Monde first indicated the shift citing a source close to the matter before the federation confirmed its decision in the statement distributed to multiple outlets. The move follows Infantino’s FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal to create a commercial entity overseeing World Cup rights and other tournaments with up to 20 percent sold to private investors in a bid to unlock $4.2 billion. That initiative which emerged after the 2026 World Cup drew fierce opposition from UEFA and other confederations leading to its abandonment on Aug. 1 with the FFF stressing that while the project is now dropped the governance concerns it exposed have not been resolved.
Several other European federations had already pulled their support in recent weeks including those of Wales Serbia Sweden England Italy Belgium and Scotland according to reports from Reuters and the BBC. A Reuters dispatch from early August detailed how the backlash gained momentum after the private investment scheme which many stakeholders criticized for lacking transparency and adequate consultation with member associations. Infantino who first took office in 2016 after Sepp Blatter’s resignation has faced additional scrutiny over his handling of disciplinary matters such as the red-card case involving U.S. forward Folarin Balogun at the recent World Cup.
The FFF has now called for wide-ranging reform of FIFA’s governance and said it would begin consultations with prominent French and international figures to advance that goal. Diallo added that a project with such major impact on the future of football could not be advanced without comprehensive information in-depth consultation and a fully transparent decision-making process. The federation’s statement emphasized that the conditions underpinning its initial support from June 29 no longer applied following the sequence of events that damaged the image and unity of the sport.
UEFA has committed to proposing a credible alternative candidate ahead of the Nov. 18 nomination deadline for the election set for March 18 2027 in Rabat with the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf also voicing reservations in recent weeks. Infantino retains backing from South America’s Conmebol and Africa’s CAF according to assessments published by Al Jazeera and dpa. The growing list of withdrawals comes as FIFA confirmed over the weekend that the incumbent still plans to seek a fourth term despite the mounting pressure.
FIFA did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the French decision but a spokesman reiterated last Sunday that nothing had changed regarding Infantino’s intention to stand again. The president maintained a low profile in recent appearances including at the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland where he declined to address questions about his future. The developments mark the latest challenge for the 55-year-old leader whose tenure has included both significant commercial growth for the organization and repeated questions over transparency and centralized decision-making.
