Gianni Infantino has been instructed to resign as FIFA president with immediate effect, following an overwhelming punishment verdict from fans. The Swiss-Italian faced intense scrutiny before and during the 2026 World Cup, but the situation escalated after the tournament concluded.
Backlash over FIFA stake sale plans
The controversy began when Infantino revealed plans to sell off stakes in FIFA competitions, triggering widespread condemnation across the football world. UEFA nations voted on a boycott of all FIFA competitions until the issue was resolved, with other confederations joining the criticism.
Although FIFA later performed a U-turn and apologised for misjudging the decision, some nations continued to push for change at the top. The English FA is among those who have withdrawn support for Infantino ahead of the 2027 FIFA presidential election.
Additional controversies
Reports have also emerged that Infantino and FIFA considered joining forces with the breakaway European Super League back in 2021. His relationship with Donald Trump before and during the 2026 World Cup also came under question, with accusations of political interference when Trump claimed he asked Infantino to rescind Folarin Balogun's red card before the USMNT striker played in their round-of-16 tie against Belgium.
Overwhelming fan verdict
Everyday football fans appear to have had enough, with Express Sport readers voting overwhelmingly in favour of ousting Infantino. In a poll conducted by Express Sport, a staggering 96 per cent said he should resign on the spot, leaving just four per cent who still back him.
Despite accepting he made a mistake, the FIFA president has urged everyone to move on from the saga. A statement read: “Mistakes made were acknowledged. It was agreed that it was not the intention for the Fifa council and Fifa member associations to feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently. It was further acknowledged that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media.”
The statement continued: “In a separate letter to the Fifa council and Fifa member associations, an apology was made for these errors together with a commitment to ensure they do not happen again. A review will now be conducted, and a report will be presented to the Fifa council at its next scheduled meeting… There are always lessons to be learned, and Fifa will continue to improve its processes in light of this experience. In this instance, however, it is important to stress that, although mistakes were made, everything that was done was done in full compliance with the Fifa regulatory framework. Fifa will work closely with the relevant stakeholders to examine how it can further support the development of the game through the Fifa Forward programme for the benefit of Fifa’s 211 member associations, the confederations and the regional associations.”
