FIFA President Infantino Faces Confidence Crisis Over World Cup Sale Plan

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing a growing crisis of confidence from multiple football confederations and national associations over his aborted plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. The controversy has sparked a wave of withdrawals of support, with the Football Association of Ireland becoming the latest to rescind its backing on Thursday, August 13, 2026. This follows similar moves by the English and Welsh football associations, intensifying pressure on the embattled president ahead of a scheduled election in March 2027.

The backlash stems from Infantino's proposal, which was widely condemned for lacking transparency and consultation. In a joint statement this week, the European football governing body UEFA, along with the North and Central American and Caribbean confederation CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation AFC, declared that "trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority." The statement is widely interpreted as a call for Infantino to resign before the election.

However, not all federations have withdrawn support. The Confederation of African Football, or...