The Italian Football Federation has joined the ranks of nations withdrawing support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino. In a statement released on Wednesday, the FIGC announced its decision not to endorse Infantino’s reelection bid in March, citing concerns over recent FIFA governance and international competition development initiatives.
Infantino has faced mounting pressure to resign following his abandoned proposal to sell shares of the World Cup to private equity investors. Three continental confederations in the sport accused him of deceit, and UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA events.
FIGC President Giovanni Malagò stated, “We will collaborate with UEFA and other European federations to advocate for a soccer framework based on merit, solidarity, sustainability, and fan engagement.” He emphasized the importance of dialogue, listening, and shared responsibility in maintaining soccer’s growth and principles.
England, Wales, and Ireland football federations had previously withdrawn support for Infantino’s reelection, while Norway called for his resignation and expressed a lack of confidence in his leadership along with five other Nordic countries. Infantino, who has been FIFA president since 2016, was expected to be reelected unopposed in Morocco until the backlash against his proposals. FIFA’s deadline for potential challengers to enter the race is November 18.
Despite the opposition, some FIFA member federations, including Morocco, Qatar, and Lebanon, continue to back Infantino. UEFA is poised to retract its boycott threat against FIFA competitions after receiving assurances that Infantino’s failed World Cup sell-off plan will not be revived.
The decision to abandon the boycott will enable six European teams to participate in the upcoming FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. France, Spain, England, Italy, Portugal, and Poland have confirmed their participation in the 24-nation tournament, which became a focal point of resistance against Infantino’s private investor proposal.
Infantino faced global backlash when details of his $20 billion commercial rights subsidiary plan were revealed and subsequently retracted amid severe criticism from UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF. UEFA expressed its lack of confidence in Infantino’s leadership on August 1, signaling potential opposition to his reelection next year.