Gianni Infantino: Players union FIFPRO slams FIFA and 'abuse of presidential power' as UEFA doubles down on boycott
Mexico and Argentina are the latest FAs to have thrown their support behind Gianni Infantino but what's next for the under-fire FIFA president? If Infantino continues to refuse to resign, his survival will depend on a numbers game at a potential Emergency FIFA Congress
Friday 7 August 2026 13:01, UK
Mexico and Argentina's football associations are the latest to have thrown their support behind embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino despite his botched World Cup stake sale plans.
On Wednesday night, Infantino was also given the "full support" of FIFA's management board in a statement despite being forced to abandon his plan to sell stakes in a company to run the World Cup to private investors.
African football's governing body, CAF - a long-time supporter of Infantino - "unanimously reconfirmed" its support for the president and went as far as thanking him "for his contribution to African football" as well as endorsing the statement released by FIFA.
Argentina's Football Association (AFA) expressed its support for FIFA's work over the last 10 years in a letter to Infantino, saying it had "centred on the development of soccer worldwide and institutional strength based on a clear, stable and transparent governance model".
Meanwhile, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has broken ranks with its own regional confederation, CONCACAF, by backing Infantino.
However, that has done little to stem the tide of criticism facing the president, with:
- UEFA reiterating its previously threatened boycott of FIFA tournaments and again demanding Infantino's resignation.
- The FA formally withdrawing its support for his re-election in March 2027.
- South American governing body CONMEBOL condemning FIFA's disregard for its own principles, saying: "When football loses, we all lose."
The numbers game... what happens next?
If Infantino continues to refuse to resign, his survival will depend on a numbers game - and the magic number is 106.
There are 211 FAs which make up FIFA and need 20 per cent of them (43 FAs) are needed to call for an Emergency FIFA Congress. At the Congress, a vote of no confidence could be held in Infantino - and if a majority of 106 votes is reached, he is out.
Here are the sizes of each confederation and the number of members/votes they have:
- UEFA: 55
- CAF (Africa): 54
- AFC (Asia): 47
- CONCACAF (North and Central America, Caribbean): 35
- CONMEBOL (South America): 10
- OFC (Oceania): 10
UEFA has to be confident of getting to 106 before it calls for an Emergency Congress, otherwise Infantino could win any confidence vote and strengthen his position.
UEFA members of the FIFA Council could also call an Emergency Council meeting and force him out with a no confidence vote. There are 37 members of the Council, including nine from UEFA.
Infantino and FIFA's reputation had taken increasing hits from inside and outside its own walls over the plans, with Arsene Wenger, its chief of global football development, distancing himself publicly, while Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino's personal senior advisor, quit his role on July 31, labelling the plans a "bad deal" and "irresponsible".
Infantino is also facing mounting opposition from within FIFA and he could still be forced out by internal pressure.
Infantino did have some good news on Thursday, however. As well as CAF's executive committee unanimously agreeing to continue to support him, CONMEBOL have said his future should be decided at the next presidential election in March, but not before then.
Players union slams FIFA 'abuse of power' as UEFA doubles down on boycott
Beyond national and continental associations, FIFPRO, the global players' union, added to the growing opposition against the president's position by slamming the "cover-up" surrounding the situation, and said it had noted FIFA's statement "with deep concern", while also hitting out at the governing body for enabling the plans to be hatched at all.
The world players' union also:
- Said FIFA could not "restore confidence" in Infantino's position because it had "dismantled the conditions upon which confidence depends".
- Demanded "legally binding engagement" with professional football stakeholders over issues including the international match calendar and expansion of FIFA competitions, plus voting rights on the FIFA Council.
- Requested governance and structural reforms to "prohibit any individual, ever again, to drive unilateral decisions through the game".
FIFPRO further addressed threats issued by FIFA over future "attacks on its integrity" by adding: "Any attempt to portray legitimate, good-faith scrutiny as disloyalty will only deepen the concern this episode has caused."
Also on Thursday, the FA formally announced its intention to withdraw support for Infantino's re-election as president, with a vote currently scheduled for March 2027.
Lucy Bronze, the England and Chelsea defender, has backed UEFA's boycott of FIFA competitions, saying it would be the right thing to do if it helps protect the game in the long term.
In October, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are all due to play in qualifying play-offs for the 2027 Women's World Cup.
"I think the message that we stand by as players, and obviously as European competitions as well, is it's for the good of the game," the 34-year-old said.
"I think the players who play in those competitions, the European players, we stand by our beliefs and what the right thing is for our game. And if that means boycotting competitions then that has to happen.
"It's for the future of the game and not just for me today and tomorrow. It's for all the little girls or little boys who come after us, to make sure that they're in a good place when the game's moving forward in decades to come, not just tomorrow."
On Friday, Lise Klaveness, the president of the Norway Football Federation (NFF), called for Infantino's resignation. Sepp Blatter, the former FIFA president, backed her to become the federation's new leader earlier this week.
Klaveness has been in charge of the NFF for four years and has taken principled stands on a wide range of issues, including the awarding of World Cups to Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
UEFA was the first continental body to speak out against Infantino's plans and was the only one to threaten a total boycott of FIFA competitions - and in their first public comments since they were withdrawn, said there had been insufficient change to reverse their stance with Infantino remaining in post.
A statement read: "UEFA's associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non-participation in FIFA competitions.
"First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn, and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.
"These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's presidency. That position holds.
"Yesterday's [Wednesday] announcement that some people employed by the FIFA President (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing."
The first test of UEFA's boycott will come at next month's FIFA U20 Women's World Cup, in which England will compete after naming their final training squad on Wednesday.
Why Infantino is still in power
Infantino has shaken off calls to resign - for now - with the backing of the governing body's leaders, though he apologised for "mistakes" in his botched attempts to sell off a stake in the World Cup.
In a statement released after seven hours of crisis talks in Morocco on Wednesday, FIFA said its management board had reaffirmed their "full support" for Infantino - including secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, only days after he had labelled the World Cup plans "a sad and reproachable series of events". The pair were later seen laughing together watching a Women's AFCON game in Rabat.
Infantino had faced mounting calls to resign following the leak of previously undiscussed proposals, after it was revealed national associations had not been consulted, and had been given a deadline barely a month away and the promise of a £30.1m incentive to back them.
In a letter seen by Sky News sent to national associations and signed by Infantino and Grafstrom, the pair wrote that they "sincerely apologised for the errors" in the plans which were eventually withdrawn on August 1 following days of criticism from across world football.
Timeline: How FIFA's World Cup private investment plan imploded
July 28: FIFA announces its "FIFA Forward Enterprise" investment plan, proposing to spin off the commercial rights to competitions, including the World Cup, into a new company.
July 28: UEFA launches a fierce public attack, accusing FIFA of rushing through a transformative proposal with little consultation.
July 30: UEFA's 55 member associations vote to boycott World Cup if plans go ahead.
July 31: Infantino's adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigns amidst the controversy.
July 31: UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham says Infantino is the "wrong man" to lead FIFA.
August 1: FIFA abandons the investment plan after only a few days of intense opposition. Infantino withdraws the proposal before it reaches a formal vote.
August 1: UEFA releases a statement in which it says it has lost confidence in Infantino's leadership of FIFA.
August 1: Spanish league boss Javier Tebas says Infantino "must not continue at the helm of FIFA".
August 3: Wales becomes the first football association to officially withdraw support for Infantino's re-election as FIFA president.
August 3: UEFA reportedly threatens legal action and instructs lawyers to preserve FIFA documents and communications relating to the proposal.
August 5: Luis Figo became the first legendary former player to call for Infantino's resignation.
August 5: Crisis meeting held in Morocco and FIFA reaffirms "full support" for Infantino.
August 6: UEFA confirm their boycott still stands with Infantino remaining in position.
August 6: FIFPRO slams "abuse of presidential power" behind Infantino's plans and demands structural and governance reform at FIFA.
August 6: The FA formally withdraws its support for Infantino's re-election hopes in March 2027.
August 7: Africa, Argentina and Mexico are the latest to back under-fire Infantino.
