The English Football Association (FA) is preparing to send a letter withdrawing its support for the re-election of FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Infantino's position as head of football's global governing body has come under major scrutiny in the past week after his failed attempt to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors. Football's governing bodies in Europe, North and Central America and the Caribbean have strongly criticised the plans, and there has been a widespread loss of confidence in his leadership.
Growing pressure is mounting for Infantino to resign, and the English FA is now set to follow the Football Association of Wales (FAW) in withdrawing support for his re-election for a fourth term as FIFA president in 2027.
UEFA calls for accountability
The move comes after European football's governing body, UEFA, released a statement over the weekend, shortly after FIFA scrapped the controversial proposals. UEFA insisted that those responsible should be held to account.
"We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast-track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them to account," UEFA said.
UEFA also said it had lost confidence in Infantino's leadership. "It is right that, in the coming days and weeks, UEFA will work with its associations and in close co-operation with other confederations to reflect on how this happened and devise a plan to make sure that it cannot occur again. That review should be thorough and fundamental. No option should be off the table. The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA's confidence but also that of many other members of the football family," it said.
FA and FAW responses
The English FA echoed UEFA's calls, saying via a spokesperson: "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."
The FAW confirmed on Monday that Infantino had lost its confidence. "The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football," it said. "Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept."
