ONE TOUCH SUMMARY
- France's Football Federation withdrew support for Gianni Infantino after his plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors.
- England, Italy, Republic of Ireland and Scotland also withdrew backing for Infantino amid global outcry over the aborted investment proposal.
- France pledged to consult confederations, associations, players, fans and experts to reform Fifa governance and restore confidence.
ONE TOUCH INSIGHT
France’s decision to withdraw backing for Gianni Infantino is not a polite footnote; it is the clearest sign yet that his hold on FIFA is loosening. The French Football Federation joined England, Italy, Ireland and Scotland in rejecting the president after his aborted plan to sell stakes in World Cup rights sparked a global outcry, and it now insists that FIFA’s governance “cannot be considered resolved” despite the proposal’s withdrawal.
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf have already called for Infantino to step down, while only Conmebol and CAF continue to support him. The FFF’s pledge to consult confederations, national associations, players, fans and experts shows it intends to turn dissent into a concrete reform agenda, not just a symbolic protest.
The March FIFA presidential election will be the first real gauge of whether Infantino can still secure a fourth term. If a credible European challenger emerges, the vote could become a referendum on his leadership; if not, the incumbent may rely on his remaining confederate backing to prevail.
WHY IT MATTERS
The French withdrawal signals growing European dissent that could challenge Infantino's re-election bid and push Fifa toward governance reforms, potentially altering how global football decisions are made and who holds power.
TACTICAL FIT
France aims to leverage its founding-member status to shape a collective reform agenda, using consultations to build alliances that could shift Fifa's decision-making toward greater transparency and reduce reliance on commercial incentives.
THE DEBATE
Should fans support a breakaway movement to reform Fifa's governance?
The French Football Federation announced its support for Infantino in June, before the investment plan was announced
By Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist
- France's football leaders have proposed to seek ways to transform how Fifa is run after its national association became the latest to withdraw support for Gianni Infantino's presidency.
On Thursday, the French Football Federation (FFF) followed England, Italy, Republic of Ireland and Scotland in withdrawing support for Infantino over his aborted plan to sell stakes in Fifa competitions - including the World Cup - to private investors.
The FFF had pledged its support for Infantino in June before his investment proposal came to light.
Infantino's plan sparked a global outcry, with European football's governing body Uefa threatening to boycott all Fifa competitions.
Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and North American governing body Concacaf have called for Infaninto to step down, though he retains the backing of South America's Conmebol and African governing body CAF.
Fifa has confirmed Infantino will stand for a fourth term in the Fifa presidential election in March.
"A project with such a significant impact on the future of football could not be envisaged without comprehensive information, in-depth consultation and a fully transparent decision-making process," FFF president Philippe Diallo said in a statement.
"Fifa's governance does not live up to the standards that football represents."
Despite Infantino abandoning his proposal, the FFF said that "Fifa's governance cannot be considered resolved".
The FFF has pledged to start consultations with confederations, national associations, players, supporters and governance experts about reforming Fifa.
"The aim of these consultations will be to foster collective reflection and to draw up proposals for a far-reaching transformation of Fifa's governance, with a view to restoring confidence, enhancing transparency and ensuring the independence and exemplary conduct of world football's governing body," the FFF said.
"The FFF, a founding member of Fifa, thus intends to contribute to a debate that is vital for the future of football, its regulation and its development."
AI-assisted · generated from BBC Sport reporting, not editor reviewed
