‘One Person Above the Collective’: FIFA Power Struggle Explodes as UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF Turn on Gianni Infantino

The pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino has intensified after UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF jointly accused football's governing body of breaking trust over its abandoned plan to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the World Cup.

In an open letter to the "football family", the three confederations said leadership in football was a responsibility to serve the sport. They warned that trust had been broken when "one person places themselves above the collective".

While Infantino was not named directly, the message was clearly aimed at the FIFA president, who has faced growing opposition since plans to sell around 20 per cent of the commercial rights to the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors emerged.

The proposal, which was expected to raise around $4.2 billion, has since been withdrawn.

The latest intervention marks another major escalation in the dispute, with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, AFC president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani among the senior figures who signed the letter.

UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF demand independent review into Gianni Infantino

The three confederations called for a fully independent review into the events surrounding the proposed commercial rights deal, arguing that FIFA's own review does not go far enough.

They questioned the process through which the proposal was presented to football's governing bodies, claiming it was pushed through under time pressure and without sufficient consultation.

"A proposal brought forward under time pressure and pushed towards a deadline without meaningful consultation... is not the result of an oversight but the result of an intention aimed at restricting control," the letter stated.

The confederations described the attempt to sell part of FIFA's World Cup commercial rights as a "fundamental breach of trust" towards the organisations FIFA is supposed to serve.

They also criticised the lack of complete independence in FIFA's examination of the controversy, arguing that there needs to be accountability over how the proposal reached the table in the first place.

FIFA hits back and backs Gianni Infantino

The joint criticism comes days after FIFA publicly defended Infantino and accused his critics of mounting a coordinated campaign to undermine the president.

FIFA said there was an "ongoing effort" by some actors to damage the organisation and its president, insisting that any challenge to Infantino's leadership must follow FIFA's statutes and democratic procedures.

The governing body also said recent reporting had included "unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims" and vowed to challenge inaccurate or misleading reports.

Infantino has also received support from several FIFA members and confederations.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has backed his leadership, while South America's CONMEBOL has rejected attempts to remove him outside FIFA's established electoral process. Mexico's football federation has also backed Infantino despite CONCACAF taking a more critical position.

FIFA represents 211 member associations, making the split over Infantino's leadership particularly significant as he seeks another term as president.

Gianni Infantino fourth-term bid faces growing scrutiny

The latest dispute comes as Infantino prepares to seek a fourth term at the FIFA Congress in Morocco in March 2027.

He remains the only declared candidate at present, but his position has come under increasing scrutiny following the collapse of the commercial rights proposal.

UEFA has already said it has lost confidence in Infantino, while Norway Football Federation president Lise Klaveness has called for him to step down.

UEFA and its allies have also threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions, including future World Cups, unless they receive assurances that a similar commercial proposal will not be brought forward again.

The controversy has therefore moved beyond the failed investment plan itself. It is now a wider dispute over FIFA's governance, transparency and Infantino's leadership, with major football confederations increasingly taking opposing positions.

For now, Infantino retains significant support across FIFA's membership. But the joint intervention from UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF represents one of the clearest signs yet that the crisis surrounding his presidency is far from over.