After leaked plans to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise, Gianni Infantino faces a rebellion led by UEFA. As he tours allies in South America and Morocco, European sources leak allegations of an alleged lover and a hefty severance package. The key battle will be fought in Asia, where politics could play a decisive role.
Gianni Infantino, until recently the seemingly unassailable president of FIFA, finds himself under the most intense pressure since taking the helm of world football's governing body. The rebellion is led by UEFA, whose sources are convinced there is a 90 percent chance Infantino will fall. The trigger for the open conflict is his secret plan to establish a company called FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would take over the organization of the World Cup and other competitions, open the door to private capital, and secure him a royal salary.
News of FIFA Forward Enterprise leaked far from the public eye and most football officials. According to media reports, Infantino acted like the most secure president in the world, with member associations signing blank checks of support for his re-election even though the FIFA Congress is not until March 2026. However, the project that would open FIFA to private capital and bring him a fabulous salary eroded his position during the World Cup, and now he faces a blow that no one can guarantee he will survive.
While criticism pours in from Europe, Infantino is not sitting idle. He held a meeting in Morocco, one of the hosts of the 2030 World Cup, and then rushed to Colombia for the inauguration of right-wing president Abellardo de la Espriella. There, he received renewed support from CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez, and was explicitly backed by the national associations of Argentina, Paraguay, Venezuela, and Ecuador.
Infantino is gathering strength under the wing of the right wing around the world, but it is uncertain whether he still has Donald Trump's sympathies. The main investor in the project that Infantino, at least publicly, distanced himself from was supposed to be a company owned by the brother of Trump's son-in-law, and it is known that the current U.S. president does not like those who back out. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, has so far remained silent.
Meanwhile, potentially compromising information is leaking from European sources. The English Telegraph reported that UEFA could launch an investigation into Infantino, and according to the same outlet, while he was UEFA's general secretary, he allegedly had a romantic relationship with an employee for whom he first secured a manager's salary and then a hefty severance package. UEFA allegedly paid her a six-figure settlement. The investigation would cover all 16 years of Infantino's tenure at UEFA, from 2000 to 2016.
Although UEFA believes in victory, the final say rests with FIFA's 211 member associations. Europe has 55 votes and is the only bloc firmly against Infantino. Concacaf has 35 votes but is not united, as Mexico has sided with the current president. Asia has 46 votes, and it is there that the key drama for Infantino's survival or downfall could unfold. If Europe, Concacaf (except Mexico), and Asia voted against him, that would total 135 votes, more than enough for removal.
However, possible divisions in Asia have been announced. Each national association votes individually and does not have to follow the opinion of the continental confederation's leadership. A similar situation is occurring in Africa, which has 54 votes. The leaders are for Infantino, but some countries are not, and Europeans are using various influences to sway as many as possible to their side.
UEFA has two plans. The first is to bring down Infantino as soon as possible, and the second, if the process drags on, is to field a counter-candidate who would defeat him in the elections. The most serious names mentioned are PSG boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who is likely also the preference of UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin given their long-standing excellent cooperation, and Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani. Al-Khelaifi could potentially pull a significant part of Asia to his side.
Although Infantino distanced himself from the FIFA Forward Enterprise project in a statement, he did not offer guarantees that it would never be revived, so the boycott remains in effect. The first real test of UEFA's resolve will be the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, which begins on September 5 in Poland. The question is whether European teams will refuse to participate. If the system falls apart and he cannot organize anything, Infantino cannot be FIFA president.
"It is impossible to run FIFA without Europe's involvement. Football must not be held hostage by one man and his cronies."
For now, both sides believe in victory, but FIFA is at a crossroads. Ultimately, behind the battle for the top spot in world football's governing body, one can read the games of politics and power brokers, which will play a decisive role.
