FIFA alleges 'concerted and ongoing effort' to oust Gianni Infantino

FIFA has hit out at what it describes as a “concerted and ongoing effort” to remove Gianni Infantino from his role as president. In an official statement, the governing body warned that it would not tolerate any challenges to its leadership that do not align with its democratic statutes.

The tension follows FIFA's decision to scrap the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan, which would have opened up stakes in world football’s commercial and event operations—including the World Cups—to private investors. The proposal faced intense backlash from various confederations.

FIFA will not support, facilitate or tolerate any process concerning the election of the FIFA president that is inconsistent with our statutes, democratic procedures and established governance framework. FIFA

The situation has been further inflamed by reports alleging that UEFA previously made payments to an associate of Infantino during his tenure as its secretary general. FIFA has formally denied these allegations, labeling them "categorically untrue," while Infantino continues to reject the claims.

While UEFA has publicly stated it has lost confidence in Infantino’s presidency, the FIFA leader retains support from several member associations, including those from Argentina and Mexico, as well as the African Football Confederation (CAF). The future of the presidency remains a focal point ahead of the elections scheduled for March.