England’s Football Association is set to join Wales in withdrawing support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election bid as FIFA president, following the collapse of a controversial plan to unlock up to $4.2 billion from private investors by selling a stake in the World Cup.
The backlash against FIFA leadership intensified on Monday as sources familiar with the matter revealed that England’s governing body is poised to follow the Football Association of Wales, which became the first national federation to formally pull its backing for the incumbent president.
The crisis stems from a scrapped proposal to unlock up to $4.2 billion from private investors by selling a roughly 20 per cent stake in a new commercial entity overseeing major global competitions, including the World Cup. Following fierce resistance from stakeholders across the sport, that initiative ended in retreat on Friday.
The Welsh FA Condemns Governance Failures
The Football Association of Wales did not mince words when announcing its decision to abandon Infantino’s candidacy for the 2027–2031 term, pointing directly to breakdowns in leadership and internal processes.
“The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr. Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football. Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”
The Football Association of Wales, via Aljazeera
Infantino had stated in April that he intended to seek a fourth term as FIFA chief. Having taken over from Sepp Blatter in 2016, he had previously been re-elected unopposed twice, making his upcoming renewal at the March Congress in Morocco appear entirely routine until the investment fallout fractured that certainty.
Confederations Withdraw Confidence and Preserve Documents
The diplomatic damage extends well beyond national federations. On Saturday, both UEFA and CONCACAF announced they had lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership.
While European soccer’s governing body welcomed the cancellation of the investment scheme, it declined to formally confirm media reports regarding potential legal action against FIFA. However, UEFA took the significant step of issuing a document preservation order to safeguard records.
The directive stops the destruction of emails, files, or data when an investigation is expected.
What Lies Ahead Before the March Congress
Industry experts consulted by international news agencies note that the fallout exposes deep-seated dissatisfaction among member associations, complicating what was once considered a secure path to re-election. With regional heavyweights publicly breaking ranks and national bodies stepping back, the upcoming gathering in Morocco will test the extent of Infantino’s remaining support across the global game.
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