Gianni Infantino's push for a fourth term as Fifa president has taken another significant hit after the French Football Federation (FFF) formally withdrew its support for his candidacy, joining a growing list of national associations distancing themselves from the Swiss administrator ahead of the March 2027 election.
The FFF, one of Fifa's founding members, announced its decision on Thursday, citing concerns over Infantino's handling of a controversial plan to sell private investment stakes in Fifa competitions, including the World Cup. That proposal was ultimately abandoned following widespread backlash, but the French federation made clear that scrapping the plan was not enough to restore its confidence in Infantino's leadership.
"Whilst support had initially been given to the Fifa president, who was then the sole candidate for his own succession, the conditions for that support are no longer met," the FFF said in a statement, noting that its original backing in June had come before the details of the investment scheme became public.
The federation, whose national team lifted the World Cup in 2018 and reached the final again in 2022, argued that recent developments at Fifa's top level had damaged trust in the organization's governance. "A series of events directly involving Fifa's governance and its president, and in direct conflict with the fundamental principles of good governance and the values of football, occurred after the FFF expressed its support on June 29," the statement read.
FFF president Philippe Diallo was also quoted saying that "a project with such a significant impact on the future of football could not be envisaged without comprehensive information, in-depth consultation and a fully transparent decision-making process," adding bluntly that "Fifa's governance does not live up to the standards that football represents."
France now joins England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy among the European associations that have rescinded their endorsement of Infantino. The wave of defections follows sustained pressure from Uefa, which reportedly considered boycotting Fifa competitions altogether over the investment scheme, along with objections raised by the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf. Not all confederations have turned against Infantino, however — South America's Conmebol and Africa's CAF are said to remain supportive of his continued leadership.
Despite the mounting criticism, Fifa has confirmed that Infantino remains its only declared candidate for the presidency and intends to seek a fourth term when the election takes place in March. A Fifa spokesperson reiterated last weekend that his intention to run had not wavered despite the controversy. Uefa, meanwhile, has signaled it will put forward a