The English FA has fully backed UEFA's call for a review of FIFA's leadership after the governing body came under heavy scrutiny this week. In a statement, the FA said the global game must be run transparently for the benefit of all 211 member nations.
The controversy centres on a proposed FIFA plan to sell off parts of its competitions to private investors. The scheme, named FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), would have seen member nations receive extra funds if they agreed before a mid-September deadline. The plans were poorly received by fans and most federations, with UEFA leading the opposition.
UEFA leads opposition
UEFA led the charge against the proposals, and all 55 European member associations committed to a boycott of FIFA competitions. CONCACAF and the AFC also came out against the private investment plans. Infantino performed a U-turn in the early hours of Saturday morning, but UEFA has not let up.
A UEFA statement said: "The current Fifa leadership has not only lost Uefa's confidence but also that of many other members of the football family. When Gianni Infantino asked for the trust and the votes of Fifa's member associations to elect him as their president in 2016, he said: 'Of course we have to be transparent.'" "He told the assembled stakeholders: 'The money of Fifa is your money. It's not the money of the Fifa president. You are the national associations and the money of Fifa has to serve for the development of football and not for anything else.' On both these promises, he has failed to deliver. The shabby, back-room, opaque deal he hatched and tried to force through were anything but transparent."
FA backs UEFA
The English FA issued its own statement in support. "We fully support UEFA's position. It is time for a full and robust review of FIFA's leadership and governance to ensure that the global game is run transparently, for the benefit of all 211 member nations and with the long - term stewardship of football at its heart."
Presidential election ahead
The dispute comes before the next FIFA presidential election, scheduled for March 2027. Infantino is seeking re-election and had been expected to win comfortably before the recent saga. Nominations must be confirmed by November, and there is now talk of a potential challenger emerging.
