Gianni Infantino is certain to be forced out as FIFA president after his botched attempt to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. Insiders have described him as a 'dead duck', with opponents reportedly lining up candidates to replace him.
Support draining away after 'shabby' deal
The 56-year-old could have profited from the 'Fifa Forward Enterprise' scheme (FFE) and is trying to hold onto his post. But sources say his support is flooding away. A source told the Sunday Times that Infantino is a 'dead duck' while opponents were reportedly identifying successors.
The FA and Uefa, European football's governing body, said they had lost confidence in Infantino. In a stinging statement, which the English FA said it supported, Uefa described the scheme as a "shabby, back-room, opaque deal he [Infantino] hatched and tried to force through".
Uefa and FA turn against Infantino
Uefa added: "The current Fifa leadership has not only lost Uefa's confidence but also that of many other members of the football family." Former FA chief Mark Pallios was among those calling on Infantino to go. He said: "He should not survive. He has delivered these plans with a complete lack of transparency."
England legend Peter Reid slammed Infantino and called for his resignation for the good of the game. He told the Mirror: "He must go - look at the World Cup: the hydration breaks for advertising, the half time show in the final. FIFA has hundreds of millions already, they should be putting more money into grassroots."
Boycott and calls for accountability
CONCACAF, which governs the north and central American associations plus the Caribbean, called for a "comprehensive reckoning" with Infantino's presidency. "A proposal of this magnitude does not reach that stage by accident," CONCACAF said. "It is a symptom of leadership that has stopped putting football first. This recent unilateral and egregious act of poor governance and leadership follows a pattern of missteps and similar behaviour."
Uefa led the opposition with its 55 members, including the FA, agreeing on Thursday to boycott all FIFA competitions. "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," it said. "We must identify those responsible and hold them to account. This is a victory for the whole game. But it must not be the end of the story. The proposal has gone. The task of rebuilding trust in Fifa has only just begun."
Succession plans emerge
Sources told the Sunday Times that senior figures in FIFA were looking to find a successor to Infantino. A spokeswoman for the FA said: "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."
Infantino is likely to face an emergency FIFA council meeting where he will be asked to resign. If he refuses, a single candidate backed by all his opponents would challenge him in next year's election. Candidates for the role include Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, Asian football president Sheikh Salman and Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al Khelaifi. There may also be support for a less high-profile candidate with backing from across the various continents.
