The Irish Football Association has become the latest governing body to turn its back on Gianni Infantino, confirming it will not support his bid for re-election as Fifa president next year.
The organisation, which oversees football in Northern Ireland, said in a statement that "the time has come for change" at world football's governing body, marking a significant escalation from its previous position. While the IFA had already aligned itself with Uefa's broader criticism of Infantino, it had stopped short of formally withdrawing its backing until now.
The decision follows weeks of mounting unease over Infantino's handling of a controversial proposal to sell a 21% stake in Fifa's commercial operations to a private investment company. The plan, which was reportedly pursued without proper consultation with member associations, triggered a fierce backlash across European football, prompting Uefa to threaten a boycott of Fifa-run competitions. Infantino ultimately abandoned the proposal amid the outcry, but the episode appears to have done lasting damage to his standing among national federations.
In its statement, the IFA did not mince words about the implications of the aborted deal. "The proposal to sell part of Fifa's assets to a private equity firm without consultation, represents more than a failure of communication," the association said. "In our view, it raises fundamental questions about strategy, governance and stewardship of our assets."
The IFA's stance places it alongside the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, all of which have already publicly declared they will not back Infantino when he seeks a fourth term in March. That level of opposition from the British and Irish associations represents a notable bloc within European football turning against the incumbent, though it remains to be seen whether it will translate into a genuine electoral threat given Fifa's global voting structure, which extends well beyond Europe.
Infantino, 56, has led Fifa since 2016 and has overseen a period of significant expansion for the organisation, including the enlargement of the World Cup format. Should he win a fourth term next March, his presidency would run until 2031, extending his total tenure at the helm of world football's governing body to 15 years.
The controversy over the private equity plan has reignited longstanding debates about transparency and accountability within Fifa's leadership structures. Critics argue that a decision of such magnitude — potentially reshaping the ownership and control of Fifa's commercial arm — should never have been advanced without broader consultation among the national associations that make up the organisation's membership.
While Uefa's threatened boycott appears to have been the decisive factor in forcing Infantino to shelve the sale, the fallout has clearly extended beyond the immediate dispute. The IFA's public break with the president suggests that trust in his leadership has been eroded in ways that go beyond a single failed proposal, touching on broader questions of governance and how major decisions are made at the top of the sport.
With the presidential vote scheduled for March, attention will now turn to whether other national associations follow the lead of the IFA and its British and Irish counterparts, and whether any credible challenger emerges to contest Infantino's bid for a fourth term.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.