Infantino withdraws private World Cup investment proposal amid legal pressure
Infantino withdraws World Cup investment proposal amid fraud allegations and confederation opposition.
Event / Politics
FIFA Presidential Election 2027
FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco, featuring incumbent Gianni Infantino facing unprecedented opposition from multiple continental confederations over governance and revenue privatization concerns.
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2026-08-28 to 2026-11-06 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 28 Aug, 01:34 UTC
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What happened
French Football Federation withdraws support for Gianni Infantino's FIFA presidency bid
The French Football Federation (FFF) announced on September 10, 2026, that it would not support Gianni Infantino's candidacy for re-election as FIFA president in the March 2027 election. The decision was made unanimously by the FFF's executive committee, with president Philippe Diallo stating that the federation had lost confidence in Infantino's leadership and governance approach.
FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco
The FIFA presidential election has been scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco. The nomination period remains open until November 18, 2026. Gianni Infantino is currently the only declared candidate.
Multiple European federations withdraw support from Infantino ahead of 2027 FIFA election
Several major European football federations have withdrawn their support from FIFA president Gianni Infantino for his re-election bid in March 2027. These include Italy, Belgium, Sweden, and Scotland, joining France in rejecting his candidacy.
African football confederation supports Infantino while Asian and North American confederations withdraw backing
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has expressed support for Gianni Infantino's re-election bid. However, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the North American-Caribbean Confederation (Concacaf) have both withdrawn their support from the FIFA president.
Gianni Infantino confirms candidacy for 2027 FIFA presidency despite mounting pressure
Despite calls for his resignation and withdrawal of support from multiple federations and confederations, Gianni Infantino confirmed on Sunday that he would pursue re-election as FIFA president in March 2027. He remains the sole declared candidate for the position.
FIFA president Infantino's private World Cup investment proposal withdrawn
Gianni Infantino proposed a controversial plan to create a commercial entity for World Cup revenues that would be 20% open to private investors. The proposal was withdrawn after significant backlash from football federations and confédérations, but it severely damaged Infantino's credibility and contributed to the loss of support from multiple nations.
UEFA, Concacaf, and AFC federations formally disavow FIFA President Infantino
The European (UEFA), North American and Caribbean (Concacaf), and Asian (AFC) football confederations jointly disavowed FIFA President Gianni Infantino in an early August letter to the "football family." The confederation criticized his governance, citing lack of consultation in his plan to house World Cup revenues in a commercial entity open to private investors. Although Infantino later abandoned this proposal, criticism continued to accumulate from multiple confederations and national federations.
Infantino proposes FIFA Forward Enterprise for World Cup revenue management with private investors
In early August, FIFA President Infantino announced plans to create an external entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to manage FIFA's commercial activities and tournaments including the World Cup, with the involvement of private investors. This proposal generated significant opposition from multiple football confederations and stakeholders. Facing widespread opposition from numerous football actors, Infantino withdrew the proposal.
Major European football federations withdraw support from Infantino ahead of 2027 election
Several major European football federations withdrew their support from FIFA President Infantino in preparation for the March 2027 election. Italy joined other nations including Sweden, Scotland, and New Zealand in formally opposing Infantino's re-election. Additionally, supporter collectives, former players, and Sandor Csanyi, a FIFA council vice president, also withdrew their support. These actions represented a significant shift, as Infantino had received broad European federation support during his 2023 re-election.
French public strongly opposes Infantino's continued FIFA presidency
An Odoxa poll conducted for Winamax and RTL surveying 1,005 people representative of the French population aged 18 and above found that 92% of French respondents wanted Infantino to leave his position as FIFA president.
African confederation and other confederations endorse Infantino for FIFA presidency
The African confederation (CAF) unanimously endorsed Gianni Infantino for re-election to the FIFA presidency. Part of the South American confederation (Conmebol), other federations, former players, and political figures including U.S. President Donald Trump also provided support for Infantino's candidacy.
Gianni Infantino announces candidacy for FIFA presidency re-election in March 2027
Gianni Infantino, FIFA president since 2016, confirmed his candidacy for re-election in March 2027. A FIFA spokesperson stated: "The president of the Fifa announced in April that he would run for re-election in 2027. Of course, nothing has changed. M. Infantino will run for re-election." The election will take place during a FIFA Congress in Morocco. Candidates must declare their candidacy before November 18, 2026. Infantino will need a simple majority vote among FIFA's 211 affiliated federations to extend his mandate, which began in 2016 and was renewed in 2023.
Swiss courts have poor record prosecuting FIFA corruption cases
The Swiss attorney general's office has a poor record in recent years prosecuting cases of alleged corruption linked to FIFA and soccer officials. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, former UEFA president Michel Platini, and Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaïfi were all acquitted at trials in Switzerland.
UEFA alleges $4.2 billion deal was fraudulently undervalued
UEFA's legal documents argue that the $4.2 billion figure was a fraudulently off-market price promoted by Infantino for his own benefit, implying an absurdly low enterprise value of approximately $20 billion that was neither the product of an open competitive auction nor tested by independent valuation.
FIFA has approximately $5 billion in cash reserves
FIFA is expected to have about $5 billion in cash reserves after the World Cup in North America boosted its revenue to a record $15 billion over the 2023-26 commercial cycle.
Joshua Kushner is Jared Kushner's younger brother
Joshua Kushner, founder of Thrive Capital Management and proposed anchor investor in FIFA's World Cup sell-off plan, is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, who is President Trump's son-in-law.
Infantino abandoned World Cup sell-off plan on August 1
FIFA President Infantino dropped the World Cup profits sell-off plan on August 1 after facing furious backlash from global soccer leaders, including UEFA, and after his senior adviser resigned.
UEFA prepares criminal complaint against FIFA President Infantino in Swiss courts
UEFA is preparing a criminal complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Swiss courts for possible financial mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code, related to his failed plan to sell future World Cup profits to private investors.
Infantino's World Cup sell-off plan involved $4.2 billion stake to Thrive Capital
FIFA President Infantino proposed selling a 20% stake in a new subsidiary (FIFA Forward Enterprise) that would run the soccer body's commercial events, including World Cups, to investment firm Thrive Capital Management for $4.2 billion. The anchor investors were Joshua Kushner and his firm Thrive.
UEFA filed legal discovery requests in US federal courts
UEFA filed a request in a Manhattan federal court for discovery of evidence from Thrive Capital Management and filed another request in southern Florida district court for discovery from FIFA's Miami offices in Coral Gables, seeking materials related to the proposed World Cup sell-off plan.
Read the coverage
2 alternative perspectives
European federations intensify opposition to Infantino's 2027 reelection bid
European federations withdraw Infantino support; African bodies back him ahead of March 2027 FIFA election.
Infantino unveils FIFA Forward Enterprise for World Cup revenue management
Infantino proposes FIFA Forward Enterprise to manage World Cup revenue with private investor participation.
FIFA confederation split widens as UEFA, Concacaf, AFC reject Infantino
FIFA's confederations split between European opposition and African support for Infantino's 2027 re-election.
Thrive Capital's Role in FIFA World Cup Deal Scrutiny
Thrive Capital received a $4.2 billion offer in FIFA's contested World Cup deal now under criminal investigation.
UEFA files criminal complaint against Infantino over World Cup deal
UEFA accuses Infantino of fraud in a $4.2 billion World Cup deal proposal that was abandoned in August.