European soccer leaders meet aiming to shape strategy for ousting Infantino as FIFA president
European soccer federations are convening to strategize on replacing FIFA president Gianni Infantino following controversies regarding his leadership and a failed World Cup investment plan. UEFA is currently seeking a viable candidate to challenge him before the November deadline for the upcoming March election.
Why it matters
The potential ousting of a FIFA president represents a major shift in global sports governance and could significantly alter the future direction of the world's most popular sport.
European soccer leaders were gathering with time pressing to find a candidate and shape their strategy for trying to oust Gianni Infantino as president of FIFA.
UEFA has called its 55 member federations to a previously scheduled summit on Thursday (October 8, 2026) in Berlin that arrives in the midst of European efforts to get a new leader for soccer's world body.
Infantino's divisive World Cup private investment plan — that failed within days of being revealed in July — pushed UEFA to act on long-standing mistrust of its former employee's increasingly executive presidency at FIFA.
UEFA's longer term plans include preparing a criminal complaint against Infantino in Switzerland for possible financial mismanagement in the World Cup sell-off deal, and has asked courts in the United States to authorize discovery of evidence.
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