France Withdraws Support for Infantino Amid FIFA Governance Rift

The French Football Federation (FFF) has unanimously withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president, citing a breakdown in trust and concerns about the way global football is being governed. FFF President Philippe Diallo said France’s executive committee made the decision after concluding that FIFA’s leadership no longer reflected the federation’s preferred approach to running world football. France had initially endorsed Infantino’s candidacy in late June, when he was the only declared candidate. However, that support changed after Infantino’s proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors was abandoned in July following strong opposition from football’s regional confederations. Diallo said the proposal had emerged without adequate consultation or information being provided to national federations, raising serious questions about FIFA’s governance and decision-making processes. France joins several other European federations, including England and Italy, in withdrawing support for Infantino. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF are calling for change at the top of FIFA and are seeking a credible alternative candidate ahead of the election. Diallo said France’s decision was part of a broader movement focused on governance reform, while stressing that criticism must be accompanied by concrete proposals. He said UEFA must establish a platform for FIFA’s next leadership cycle and eventually select a candidate capable of defeating Infantino. Despite the growing opposition, Infantino retains the support of South America’s CONMEBOL and Africa’s CAF. The FIFA presidential election is scheduled to take place in Rabat on March 18, 2027, with nominations closing on November 18.

France has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s candidacy for another term as president of FIFA. The French Football Federation (FFF) announced the decision on Thursday, according to a France 24 video report dated September 10, 2026. Infantino is expected to run in the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027. The FFF’s decision places France alongside several other European football federations that have also publicly withdrawn their support for Infantino. The federations named in the report are Belgium, Italy, Scotland, Sweden and Wales. This indicates a broader shift in the position of parts of European football ahead of the election, although the supplied article does not explain why these federations have changed or withdrawn their backing. The report presents the development as a political and organizational change within international football governance. It focuses on the official position of the French federation and its alignment with other European national federations, rather than providing details about Infantino’s campaign, possible challengers, or the reasons behind the opposition. The article is a short France 24 video item, reported by Claire Paccalin, and the available text contains no direct comments from the FFF, Infantino, or the other federations. Consequently, the main confirmed information is France’s decision not to support Infantino and the list of European federations reportedly taking a similar position. The announcement could have implications for the balance of support in the 2027 FIFA presidential election, but the excerpt does not assess the likely outcome or provide further electoral details.

France 24 reports that the French Football Federation (FFF) has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, and will no longer back his campaign for reelection as head of world football’s governing body. The decision was announced on Thursday, amid increasing pressure on Infantino and uncertainty surrounding his leadership. Infantino is described as an embattled FIFA chief who has faced growing calls to step down. The pressure follows his abandoned proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup and in other football-related associations. Although the report provides few details about the plan, it presents the proposal as the central issue contributing to the loss of support for Infantino. The FFF’s decision is part of a broader erosion of backing for the FIFA president. Football associations in England and Italy are also reported to have withdrawn their support for his reelection bid. The withdrawals suggest that opposition to Infantino is spreading among influential national football bodies and could affect the contest for FIFA’s presidency. The short video report does not provide a response from Infantino or FIFA, nor does it detail the FFF’s reasons beyond the wider controversy surrounding his leadership and the aborted financial plan. It also does not explain what alternative candidate or position the French federation may support. The report’s main focus is therefore the significance of France’s withdrawal and the growing challenge to Infantino’s continued leadership of FIFA.