Figo Blasts Infantino: He Must Go Now

Legendary Portuguese footballer Luis Figo launched a scathing attack on FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, calling for his immediate resignation. In a post on social media platform X, the former Real Madrid and Barcelona star accused Infantino of disgracing the office he promised to elevate.

Figo did not mince words. "He has lied, cheated, and tried to profit at the expense of the game he should serve," he wrote, adding that "it's too late for him to save his dignity, but not too late to save football. He should go. Now."

The Plan That Stirred Controversy

Infantino found himself at the center of a scandal over a now-abandoned plan that would have allowed private investors to buy stakes in major competitions, including the World Cup. The proposal envisioned minority, non-controlling investments in a new commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise.

The idea met with massive resistance across the football community. European football's governing body (UEFA) threatened to boycott future FIFA events, and criticism even came from FIFA's own chief operating officer. On Saturday, Infantino announced the plan was being scrapped, saying it had "created divisions" that were "no longer in the interest of the originally stated goal."

Federations Withdraw Support

Despite the withdrawal, the damage was already done. The Football Association of Wales quickly withdrew its support for Infantino's re-election bid, followed by the Serbian and Swedish football associations. Infantino, first elected as FIFA president in 2016, held a crisis meeting with senior officials in Morocco on Wednesday.

Also distancing himself from Infantino was Arsène Wenger, the former Arsenal manager who now serves as FIFA's director of global football development. Wenger stated that the decision to withdraw the investment plan was "absolutely necessary and unquestionable."

"A man willing to do such a thing, who tries to push through such major changes just to enrich himself and his close associates, belongs in football's dark past," Figo said, as reported by 24sata.

Infantino had already faced waves of criticism over FIFA's handling of a series of incidents at the 2026 World Cup, as well as his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump.