The Italian football federation has joined other nations in withdrawing its backing for FIFA President Gianni Infantino. FIGC announced on Wednesday that it will not support Infantino’s reelection bid in March due to concerns about his recent actions related to governance and international competitions.
Pressure has been mounting on Infantino to resign following his abandoned proposal to sell shares of the World Cup to private equity investors. Three continental confederations accused him of deceit, and UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA events.
FIGC President Giovanni Malagò stated that they will collaborate with UEFA and European federations to uphold a vision of football based on merit, solidarity, sustainability, and fan involvement. He emphasized the importance of dialogue, listening, and shared responsibility in soccer’s growth and innovation.
Recently, the football federations of England, Wales, and Ireland withdrew their support for Infantino’s reelection. Norway also called for his resignation, along with five other Nordic countries who expressed a lack of confidence in his leadership.
Infantino, FIFA President since 2016, faced criticism over his proposals but was previously expected to secure reelection unopposed next year. While some member federations back him, others like UEFA are now likely to withdraw their boycott threat against FIFA competitions.
UEFA is anticipated to formally retract its boycott threat after receiving assurances that Infantino’s failed World Cup sell-off plan will not be revived. This decision will allow European teams to participate in the upcoming FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
The private investor plan put forward by Infantino, which stirred global opposition, was swiftly retracted following strong backlash. UEFA demanded guarantees that a similar proposal would not resurface, leading to the reassurance that the spinoff project, FIFA Forward Enterprise, will not be reintroduced.
Amid the uncertainty surrounding Infantino’s leadership, UEFA signaled its lack of confidence in him and indicated its intention to oppose his reelection in March 2023.