FA U-turn exposes years of silence
The Football Association will write a letter revoking its endorsement of Gianni Infantino’s re-election. To which there is one obvious reaction. Why on earth did they ever endorse him?
There will be - there should be - some shamed faces in the FA’s executive ranks right now. The photograph of the FA chair presenting Infantino with a personalised England shirt during the World Cup is not one Debbie Hewitt will want to see again. But there has been a long line of FA chairs and chief executives who have been happy to go along with Infantino’s regime. In theory, the FA should have one of the most powerful voices in world football but, effectively, it has been silent during a decade in which his tenure has become increasingly embarrassing.
The FA ’s endorsement of Infantino came after he had turned World Cup football into a game of four quarters. It came after he had given Donald Trump a ‘peace prize’ on behalf of FIFA. It came after he had somehow managed to allow Saudi Arabia to be unopposed as hosts of the 2034 World Cup. It came after he had sanctioned the outrageous prices most had to pay for World Cup tickets. It came after THAT half-time show. The FA should never have endorsed his re-election in the first place.
They were not alone, of course. In fact, it appeared there was only going to be the possibility of one or two dissenters when it came to the formality of re-electing Infantino. Now, of course, any possibility of Infantino being re-elected has been blown out of the water.
In terms of revoking endorsement, the Welsh set the ball rolling when it released a statement on Monday morning. It read:
“The Football Association of Wales hereby confirms its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr Gianni Infantino for re-election as FIFA president for the 2027-31 term. “The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football. Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”
Again, the obvious response is to wonder how he had their confidence in the first place.
Nevertheless, the withdrawal of endorsements - while largely symbolic - should confirm this is the end for Infantino’s reign. UEFA have even written to him, demanding no paperwork relating to the scheme - which would have seen FIFA sell rights to the World Cup to private investors - is destroyed and reserving the right to take legal action.
The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has called on his to step down. As it still stands, Infantino plans to stand for re-election at a congress in Morocco in March and would need 106 votes from the 211 member nations to stay in his job. But with UEFA and CONCACAF already releasing strong statements criticising his leadership, the chances of Infantino’s time in charge of FIFA being extended are extremely slim. In fact, they are surely non-existent.
The development follows a run of mounting criticism, including our earlier coverage of the English FA withdrawing support after the World Cup sell-off backlash, as well as warnings that Gianni Infantino’s FIFA downfall shows football is rotten to the core. Separate commentary also argued that Gianni Infantino should resign from FIFA now or football will suffer forever, while former FA chiefs urged England to boycott the 2030 World Cup over Gianni Infantino's FIFA plan.
As it still stands, Infantino plans to stand for re-election at a congress in Morocco in March and would need 106 votes from the 211 member nations to stay in his job. But with UEFA and CONCACAF already releasing strong statements criticising his leadership, the chances of Infantino’s time in charge of FIFA being extended are extremely slim. In fact, they are surely non-existent.
