- The world players' union FIFPRO has condemned Gianni Infantino's "abuse of presidential power" and called for change at the top of FIFA following his botched World Cup stake sale plans.
- UEFA reiterated its previously-threatened boycott of FIFA tournaments and again demanded Infantino's resignation, while The FA formally withdrew its support for his re-election in March 2027.
- FIFA said its management board had reaffirmed their "full support" for Infantino, and in a letter signed by Infantino and Grafstrom, they "sincerely apologised for the errors" in the plans, while a public statement threatened that FIFA would "no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity".
- FIFPRO slammed the "cover-up" surrounding the situation, said it had noted FIFA's statement "with deep concern", and hit out at the governing body for enabling the plans to be hatched at all.
- FIFPRO said FIFA could not "restore confidence" in Infantino's position because it had "dismantled the conditions upon which confidence depends", and demanded "legally-binding engagement" with professional football stakeholders and voting rights on the FIFA council.
- FIFPRO requested governance and structural reforms to "prohibit any individual, ever again, to drive unilateral decisions through the game" and addressed FIFA's threats by stating: "Any attempt to portray legitimate, good-faith scrutiny as disloyalty will only deepen the concern this episode has caused".
- UEFA said its conditions for non-participation in FIFA competitions had not been met, stating: "These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's presidency. That position holds."
- FIFPRO stated that "FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) is gone. The abuse of power that produced it is not. Governance reforms, not a cover-up, are urgently needed."
FIFPRO has escalated its criticism of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, labeling his actions as an "abuse of presidential power" following controversial plans to sell World Cup stakes. The players' union's statement comes as UEFA reiterates its boycott of FIFA tournaments and The FA withdraws support for Infantino's re-election in March 2027.123456789101112131415
FIFPRO's condemnation highlights a growing discontent among football stakeholders, emphasizing the need for governance reforms to prevent unilateral decisions that undermine the sport. The union criticized FIFA for enabling the controversial plans and called for legally-binding engagement with professional football stakeholders regarding the international match calendar and competition expansions.
In a statement, FIFPRO noted that FIFA could not "restore confidence" in Infantino's presidency, as it had "dismantled the conditions upon which confidence depends." The union also addressed FIFA's threats against scrutiny, asserting that any portrayal of legitimate concerns as disloyalty would only exacerbate the situation.
UEFA's position remains firm, stating that conditions for non-participation in FIFA competitions have not been met, and confidence in Infantino's leadership has been lost. Following crisis talks, FIFA reaffirmed its support for Infantino, despite widespread criticism, including from its own secretary general, who previously labeled the World Cup plans as a "sad and reproachable series of events."
FIFA's response to the backlash included a warning against attacks on its integrity, asserting that it would take necessary measures to protect its reputation. The call for governance reforms is urgent, as the current leadership faces increasing scrutiny and demands for accountability.
“FIFPRO demanded 'legally-binding engagement' with stakeholders and voting rights on the FIFA council, while FIFA's board reaffirmed 'full support' for Infantino after crisis talks. UEFA stated its conditions for non-participation were not met, insisting it has 'lost confidence' in his presidency.”
