UEFA, AFC, and Concacaf Call for Gianni Infantino to Resign as FIFA President

UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and Concacaf are calling for the resignation of FIFA president Gianni Infantino following the revelation of a failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors. In an open letter dated August 10, 2026, the three governing bodies described the proposal as a fundamental breach of trust with the institutions FIFA serves, according to reporting from the Irish Times and Euronews.

The dispute centers on the Football Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme. The three confederations accused Infantino of trust broken through deception and criticized his failure to acknowledge that the plan should not have been launched unilaterally, according to the Irish Times.

The open letter was co-signed by UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, AFC president Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, along with the general secretaries of the three organizations, Euronews reports.

The letter rejects a previous apology from Infantino, which attributed the issues to miscommunication. The confederations instead characterized the event as a failure of judgment, stating that the attempt to sell an interest in the World Cup was not a procedural misstep but a breach of trust, according to the Irish Times.

The letter states:

Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding – or demanding – power to be held. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it. When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.

Open letter from UEFA, AFC, and Concacaf via the Irish Times

The three governing bodies are now seeking an independent review of the scandal conducted by a body outside of football, according to the Irish Times. This request follows a FIFA commitment to present a full report to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting.

The conflict has led to discussions regarding the organization of new, rival competitions. UEFA has repeatedly threatened to boycott FIFA events, and the Irish Times reports that the under-20 women’s World Cup scheduled for next month could proceed without European teams.

Efforts to identify a replacement for Infantino have increased. Victor Montagliani is believed to be among the leading contenders to run for the presidency, according to the Irish Times. Candidates for the FIFA election must announce their bids by November 18.

While the three confederations are united, the revolt is not universal across all football governing bodies. The African confederation (Caf) and the South American confederation (Conmebol) have both issued statements backing Infantino in recent days, the Irish Times reports.

Within individual member associations, the response is mixed. While Norway and other European associations have called for Infantino’s resignation, few members outside of Europe have publicly opposed him, according to Euronews and the Irish Times. Only a small minority of associations have recalled their letters of support for his re-election in March.

FIFA defended Infantino in a statement on August 9, describing the situation as a concerted and ongoing effort to undermine his leadership, according to Euronews.

The current crisis coincides with other allegations involving Infantino’s previous tenure as UEFA general secretary. Euronews reports that a female staffer received a six-figure departure payment due to apparent misconduct. UEFA confirmed the payment was made in accordance with regulations at the time, though it noted those rules have since been tightened.

Infantino, who worked at UEFA for 16 years before becoming FIFA president, has refuted claims reported by UK media regarding an alleged affair, according to Euronews.

Several larger member associations have requested meetings with Infantino to demand an explanation for the FFE scheme, according to the Irish Times.