Norway’s Call for Resignation
The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) has called for the resignation of Fifa president Gianni Infantino. This follows his attempt to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, a plan that was later aborted. NFF president Lise Klaveness stated on Friday that Infantino lacks the institutional trust necessary to govern Fifa effectively. She indicated that there is no turning back for Infantino, highlighting that international football cooperation is experiencing difficulties.
Klaveness, a qualified lawyer, outlined several concerns the Norwegian FA has raised with Fifa during her four-year tenure. These concerns included questions regarding the awarding of tournaments, and the overturning of a ban for American forward Folarin Balogun during a recent World Cup. The NFF’s stance goes further than that of other football associations, such as those in England, Wales, Croatia, and Albania, which have withdrawn support for Infantino without explicitly demanding his resignation.
Divisions Among Federations
While Norway and several European nations have expressed strong opposition, Infantino has received support from other regions. The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) publicly backed Infantino, diverging from its regional governing body, Concacaf. Concacaf had previously called for a comprehensive review of Infantino’s presidency after the aborted plans to sell World Cup stakes. However, Mexico, a co-host for the 2026 World Cup, stated that the FMF supports Infantino’s leadership in promoting football development through institutional strengthening.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) also expressed support for Infantino, praising his leadership over the past decade. The AFA’s statement acknowledged the decision to withdraw a project that generated uncertainties and highlighted Infantino’s acceptance of errors made in that process. It further stated that his management has led to a profound transformation of Fifa, opening the organisation to all 211 member associations and confederations for dialogue.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also unanimously backed Infantino. This support from Africa, along with South America’s Conmebol, strengthens Infantino’s position outside of Europe. Conmebol, while expressing concern about unilateral actions taken without dialogue, stated it would reject any attempt to remove Infantino without a vote involving all 211 Fifa members.
Upcoming Election and Support Dynamics
The deadline for candidates to be put forward for the Fifa presidential election, along with at least five letters of support from member associations, is 18 November. The election, conducted by secret ballot, is scheduled to take place at the 77th Fifa Congress in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 March. Infantino’s current term is his second, having been re-elected in 2019 and 2023 unopposed.
Under Fifa statutes, the maximum tenure for a president is three four-year terms. Infantino’s first term, which began in 2016 after replacing Sepp Blatter, lasted only three years. He successfully argued that this initial term should not count towards the limit, allowing him to stand for re-election. Unless Uefa can present a strong candidate to challenge him, Infantino has several months to consolidate his support base.
A significant factor in Infantino’s global support is the funding provided to member associations. The latest iteration of his investment programme, Fifa Forward 3.0, concludes in December. This programme has provided national associations with up to $8m in the most recent four-year cycle, representing a 30% increase from the previous cycle. The anticipated announcement of Fifa Forward 4.0 could further increase this funding, which is particularly impactful for developing nations.
While Uefa, with its 55 members, remains Infantino’s staunchest critic, the African confederation (54 members) has reaffirmed its unanimous support. The Asian confederation (46 members) had initially criticised the FFE proposal alongside Uefa and Concacaf, but did not issue a statement after the plan was aborted. Concacaf (35 members) has strongly criticised Infantino, but Mexico has already publicly backed him. The Oceania Football Confederation (11 members) president Lambert Maltock previously praised Infantino’s leadership and investment in grassroots football.
Source: bbc.com
