Infantino's FIFA Re-election Bid Loses French Football Federation Backing

The French Football Federation (FFF) has officially withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino's campaign to secure re-election as FIFA president next year. This move, announced on Thursday, sees France join the ranks of England, Italy, the Republic of Ireland, and Scotland, all of whom have rescinded their backing for Infantino.

The primary reason for this widespread withdrawal of support is Infantino's controversial, albeit abandoned, proposal to divest stakes in FIFA competitions, including the prestigious World Cup, to private investors. The FFF had initially pledged its allegiance to Infantino in June, a commitment made before the details of his investment scheme became public knowledge.

Infantino's plan triggered a significant global backlash, prompting UEFA, European football's governing body, to threaten a boycott of all FIFA-organized competitions. Several key football confederations, including UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the North American governing body Concacaf, have openly called for Infantino to step down from his position. However, he continues to enjoy the support of South America's Conmebol and the African governing body CAF.

FIFA has confirmed that Infantino intends to seek a fourth term in the presidential election scheduled for March. Commenting on the situation, FFF president Philippe Diallo stated: "A project with such a significant impact on the future of football could not be envisaged without comprehensive information, in-depth consultation and a fully transparent decision-making process." He further criticized, "FIFA's governance does not live up to the standards that football represents."

Despite Infantino's decision to drop his contentious proposal, the FFF maintains that "FIFA's governance cannot be considered resolved." The French body has committed to initiating extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including confederations, national associations, players, supporters, and governance experts, with the aim of reforming FIFA.

"The aim of these consultations will be to foster collective reflection and to draw up proposals for a far-reaching transformation of Fifa's governance, with a view to restoring confidence, enhancing transparency and ensuring the independence and exemplary conduct of world football's governing body," the FFF elaborated. As a founding member of FIFA, the FFF emphasized its intention to contribute meaningfully to this crucial debate concerning the future, regulation, and development of global football.