The French Football Federation has unanimously withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s bid for re-election as FIFA president, FFF President Philippe Diallo said on Thursday. Diallo said trust in the head of world football’s governing body had been broken.
The FIFA presidential election is scheduled to take place in Rabat on March 18, 2027.
Why the FFF changed its position
France initially backed Infantino’s candidacy at the end of June, when he was the only declared candidate, Diallo said. He said later events had fundamentally changed the circumstances and that the conditions for French support no longer existed.
The decision followed the abandonment in July of Infantino’s proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. The proposal faced widespread opposition from football’s regional confederations. For additional context, see “FIFA’s Gianni Infantino rejects allegations linked to UEFA payment”.
Diallo said the proposal had emerged without what he considered proper consultation or sufficient information for federations, raising serious questions about FIFA’s governance and decision-making.
European federations seek an alternative
France’s decision follows similar moves by several European federations, including those of England and Italy. Belgium, Scotland and Sweden were also identified as aligning with the broader European position. A related part of this story is covered in “FIGC Ends Backing for Gianni Infantino as FIFA Pressure Grows”.
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and North America’s CONCACAF have called for change at the top of FIFA and are seeking a credible alternative before the election. Infantino retains support from South America’s CONMEBOL and Africa’s CAF.
What happens next
The deadline for presidential candidacies is November 18. Diallo said UEFA would need to define a platform for FIFA’s next leadership cycle and later select a candidate capable of defeating Infantino. The development of this issue can be followed in “FIFA chief Gianni Infantino maintains plan to run again”.
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