World Football Split Over Fifa Boss Gianni Infantino

Gianni Infantino, the president of Fifa — the organization that runs world soccer — is fighting to keep his job. Many countries have stopped supporting him after he tried to sell shares in the World Cup to private investors. That plan upset a lot of football associations around the world, who said they were never asked for their opinion. Infantino needs at least 106 votes from Fifa's 211 member countries to be re-elected in March 2027.

The trouble started when Infantino pushed a plan to let private investors buy a stake in the World Cup. Football associations in Europe and beyond were furious because they said they were not told about the plan ahead of time. After facing huge backlash, Infantino dropped the idea — but the damage to his reputation had already been done. He later laughed off questions about whether he would resign, saying he still has the support of the 'vast, vast majority' of world football.

Europe's football body, Uefa, which represents 55 countries, has led the charge against Infantino. Uefa threatened to boycott Fifa competitions and even took legal action against him. Its leaders say there are no guarantees that Infantino won't try something like this again. They set a deadline of November 2 for Fifa to answer a list of tough questions about Infantino's actions.

Several well-known European countries have officially pulled their support for Infantino. England, Wales, Scotland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and many others sent letters to Fifa saying they no longer back him. Norway went the furthest, calling on Infantino to resign immediately. Norwegian football president Lise Klaveness said: 'There is no way back for Infantino.'

Concacaf, the football body for North America and the Caribbean with 41 members, also came out against Infantino. Its leaders said his actions showed 'a pattern of missteps' and poor leadership. However, several Caribbean nations — including Jamaica, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, and others — broke away from Concacaf's position and chose to back Infantino instead. They praised him for boosting football development in smaller nations.

Jordan became the first non-European country to publicly oppose Infantino. Jordan's football president, Prince Ali, accused Fifa of offering help with the country's problems in exchange for his support. He said his federation had been waiting eight months for prize money it was owed since December. Two days after he posted about it publicly, the money arrived — but Prince Ali still refused to back Infantino.

On the other side, Infantino has found strong support across Africa. The Confederation of African Football, known as Caf, which represents 54 countries, unanimously backed him. Caf president Patrice Motsepe said they are committed to working with Fifa to grow the sport worldwide. Leaders from countries like Malawi, Gambia, and Burundi said Fifa's funding has been vital for football in poorer nations.

The Asian Football Confederation, known as the AFC, represents 47 countries and also gave Infantino its support. It had first criticized Infantino for breaking their trust, but then reversed course at a meeting in Tokyo. AFC president Sheikh Salman gave Infantino a big hug in front of members as he delivered the endorsement. He said the two sides share 'a true understanding.'

In South America, Argentina, Paraguay, Ecuador, and Venezuela came out in support of Infantino. Argentina's federation praised his ten years of leadership and called his work 'stable and transparent.' Mexico also broke away from Concacaf's opposing position to support him. The South American confederation, Conmebol, had previously endorsed him for a third term, though it expressed concern about some of his recent actions.

As things stand, Infantino appears to have about 116 member associations behind him, while about 91 are openly against him — more than enough for re-election. But the vote is still months away and things could change. Japan's football chief hinted that some AFC members might not follow the confederation's pro-Infantino line. The final result in March 2027 is far from certain.

New Zealand was a rare exception in the Oceania region, choosing to withdraw support for Infantino. Its football association said decisions inside Fifa had caused a 'breakdown in trust.' The Oceania Football Confederation itself has not taken a clear side, instead calling for a review of how Fifa is run. Several Pacific island nations like Tahiti, the Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea have individually backed Infantino, often because they rely on Fifa funding to grow their sport.