Gianni Infantino's grip on the Fifa presidency is looking increasingly fragile as a growing number of national football associations withdraw their backing following a failed attempt to privatise parts of the World Cup.
The Swiss-Italian official had pushed forward plans under the Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme to sell stakes in the tournament to private investors, a move that triggered fierce opposition across the football world. Uefa warned it could boycott Fifa competitions altogether if the proposal went ahead, forcing Infantino into a swift retreat. However, the fallout from the episode continues to threaten his position at the top of the game's governing body.
Several national federations have publicly stated they no longer have confidence in his leadership. The Asian Football Confederation has demanded an "urgent review" of how Fifa is governed, while the Welsh and Swedish federations have already pulled their support, with England reportedly poised to do the same. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has also weighed in, describing Infantino as "not the right man for the job."
The pressure has not been confined to outside critics. Carlos Cordeiro, a long-serving adviser to Infantino, resigned in protest at the privatisation plans, and Fifa's own chief operating officer accused the president of having "deceived" staff about his intentions before the scheme was abandoned.
Despite the scale of the backlash, Infantino is not expected to step down voluntarily, meaning opponents within football's governing structures are now exploring formal routes to remove him. Several dates over the coming months could prove decisive.
On 14 August, Fifa is due to rule on an independent agency's review of a possible 64-team World Cup format. Leaked documents suggesting an accelerated push for this expansion — reportedly for implementation from the 2030 tournament — surfaced amid the sell-off row, raising questions over whether the idea was tied to commercial motives. Even so, a larger tournament could help Infantino shore up support among smaller footballing nations eager for more qualification opportunities. Under the outlined timetable, the agency's full analysis is expected by 11 September.
A more direct threat to Infantino's position looms with 23 September, the deadline for finalising the agenda of an Extraordinary Congress scheduled for two months later. Uefa is reportedly examining whether its member associations could trigger a vote of no confidence, a move that would require support from 43 of Fifa's 211 associations to get onto the agenda. Sources suggest such a step would only be taken if organisers were confident of securing a majority at the eventual vote, meaning time is tight to build sufficient consensus.
Should the no-confidence motion make the agenda, the Extraordinary Congress itself would take place on 23 November. A simple majority of votes cast would be enough to remove Infantino from office.
Before that, 18 November marks the deadline for candidates wishing to challenge Infantino in the next presidential election, scheduled for 18 March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco. As things stand, no rival has formally entered the race. Uefa president Alexander Ceferin and Qatar Sports Investments chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi have both been mentioned as possible contenders, though neither appears eager to run. Concacaf president and current Fifa vice-president Victor Montagliani has also been linked with a bid, though he has yet to make any official declaration.
Infantino ran unopposed when he was re-elected in 2023. Whether he faces a genuine challenge — or survives a no-confidence vote before then — will shape the direction of world football's governing body heading into the next World Cup cycle.
Based on reporting from The Independent.