Infantino Faces FIFA Rebels in Zurich After Failed World Cup Stake Sale
ZURICH: Gianni Infantino will sit down on Thursday with the football leaders who want him gone, in his first meeting with FIFA’s top brass since his plan to sell a stake in FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, collapsed.
The FIFA president has faced calls to resign from the leaders of three regional confederations: UEFA’s Aleksander Ceferin, the AFC’s Salman Al Khalifa and CONCACAF’s Victor Montagliani. Their representatives will all be present at the FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, joined by counterparts from Africa, South America and Oceania.
It is the biggest crisis of Infantino’s near 11-year presidency, and Thursday’s 37-member council session will show whether his opponents can turn resignation calls into real constraints on his power.
The failed stake sale at the heart of it
On the agenda is the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme, which Infantino was forced to abandon within days of announcing it in July. Under the plan, he proposed selling a minority stake in a FIFA commercial subsidiary to private investors, with a company launched by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, identified as the proposed lead investor.
The 37-member council will also address FIFA’s governance, with some of the sport’s most powerful figures determined to limit Infantino’s powers if they cannot force him out. People familiar with the matter told Reuters that while finding a replacement looked remote, his opponents were determined to leave him more isolated and curb his authority.
Also on the table: FIFA’s financial reserves and how much can be released to member associations, disciplinary procedures, the governance framework, and the FIFA Peace Prize controversially awarded to Donald Trump.
Gianni Infantino fights for survival
Infantino, 56, will stand for re-election in March 2027, with a November 18 deadline for candidates to submit nominations. Last week, former Switzerland defender Ramon Vega announced he intended to stand, though he has not confirmed the backing of the five national associations required to enter the race.
The FIFA chief has been canvassing support aggressively. He received a standing ovation from African football leaders in Cape Verde last week and expects backing from South America at next year’s election in Rabat, Morocco. Despite the AFC leadership’s criticism, many Asian nations, including a bloc of Arab countries, have offered support.
Last month, UEFA and CONCACAF called on FIFA to release $10 million to each of its 211 member associations, countering Infantino’s proposal under which associations could receive $20 million in development funding and potentially access a further $20 million.
Sceptics expect little
Emanuel Medeiros of the Sport Integrity Global Alliance urged the council to use the moment for a “frank discussion”, saying the world of football expects a genuinely independent and transparent governance review.
But Miguel Maduro, who chaired FIFA’s Governance Committee in 2016 before Infantino sacked him, doubted Thursday would change much. Any working group or review, he said, would have limited credibility given FIFA’s track record, and risked becoming “a window dressing exercise simply aimed at reducing public pressure”.
For now, Infantino remains in the chair. Whether he leaves Zurich with his powers intact or clipped will shape world football’s governance for years.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Infantino facing FIFA’s council?
He proposed selling a minority stake in a FIFA commercial subsidiary to private investors, a plan that collapsed within days in July and triggered resignation calls from three confederation presidents.
Who wants Infantino out?
UEFA’s Aleksander Ceferin, the AFC’s Salman Al Khalifa and CONCACAF’s Victor Montagliani have all said it is time for a change at the top of FIFA.
When is the FIFA presidential election?
March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco. Candidates must declare by November 18, with Ramon Vega the only challenger announced so far.
*Sources: Reuters via Geo Super, October 14, 2026.*
