Battle lines drawn as Infantino fights to hold onto power after FIFA stake sale fiasco
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing a leadership crisis following a failed proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup. Major regional football confederations are now threatening to force his resignation or establish rival competitions.
Why it matters
The potential collapse of FIFA's current leadership structure could lead to significant instability in global sports governance and commercial rights management.
According to a report, UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC are determined to force Infantino out of office by paralysing FIFA and even starting up their own competitions if he refuses to go.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the stands before the Round of 32 World Cup match between the Netherlands and Morocco in Monterrey, Mexico, on Jun 29, 2026. (File photo: Reuters/Eloisa Sanchez)
The reverberations from FIFA President Gianni Infantino's abandoned proposal to sell off a stake in the World Cup continued to rage on Tuesday (Aug 4), with one media report suggesting three regional confederations had united to try to force him out of office.
After three days of unprecedented civil war in the world of soccer administration last week, Infantino backed away from his plan to raise US$4.2 billion from a new commercial rights body late on Friday night.
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