CARDIFF — Wales has become the first nation to publicly withdraw support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino‘s re-election campaign, citing “failures in good governance” and poor leadership following the collapse of his controversial plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup.
The Football Association of Wales confirmed on Monday that it would no longer back Infantino’s candidature in the election scheduled for March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco.
“The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football,” the FAW said in a statement.
“Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.
Plan Unravelled
Infantino had proposed offering FIFA’s 211 member associations $40 million each in exchange for backing private investment in the governing body’s tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
However, the plan was swiftly abandoned following a furious backlash from three continental confederations, with European governing body UEFA leading the charge against the proposal.
English FA Follows Suit
The English FA is also understood to have written to FIFA making it clear it no longer supports Infantino. England’s governing body issued a statement on Saturday saying it “fully supported” the position of UEFA, which declared that Infantino had lost the “confidence” of the European governing body.
Growing Opposition
The Swiss-Italian football administrator now faces mounting opposition from across the global football community. North and Central American football’s governing body, CONCACAF, has called for a “comprehensive reckoning” with Infantino’s leadership, while the Asian Football Confederation has pleaded for greater transparency.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, had been expected to stand unopposed for a third term. The withdrawal of support from the Welsh and English FAs represents a significant blow to his re-election hopes as the March 2027 vote approaches.
