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French Football Federation Withdraws Support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino

evening · · thread: FIFA Proposes Sale of World Cup Commercial Stakes, Sparking Fierce UEFA Backlash

6 sources across 6 countries · 1 of them is linked to a state

Who reported this

  • La Nacion Argentina · Centre-right · Saguier family
  • France 24 France · Centre · Public · France Medias Monde (French state holding)
  • Der Spiegel Germany · Centre-left · ~50% staff-owned
  • Aftenposten Norway · Centre-right · Schibsted, Tinius Trust foundation
  • Al Jazeera Qatar · Centre-left · State-affiliated · Qatari government funded
  • Reuters United Kingdom · Centre · Thomson Reuters Corporation

What the colours mean

  • Left
  • Centre-left
  • Centre
  • Centre-right
  • Right
  • A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.

Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.

Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.

The owner of each outlet is listed as a matter of record, not as a judgement about the outlet.

The French Football Federation (FFF) has announced it will no longer support the candidacy of Gianni Infantino for a new term as FIFA president. FFF President Philippe Diallo stated that the decision was made unanimously by the executive committee on Thursday, September 10. The move comes ahead of the presidential election scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, with the deadline for new nominations set for November 18.

Diallo explained that trust in the FIFA president has been broken and that the current management of world football no longer aligns with the FFF's vision. The federation cited a lack of proper consultation and transparency regarding a failed proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. This plan was abandoned in July following widespread opposition from regional confederations.

France joins a growing list of nations and organizations opposing Infantino. Other European federations that have withdrawn support include England, Italy, Belgium, Scotland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Additionally, Israel and New Zealand have expressed opposition. While UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF have called for leadership changes, Infantino continues to receive support from CONMEBOL in South America and CAF in Africa.

Despite the pressure, Infantino has confirmed his intention to seek re-election. Some reports indicate that UEFA is preparing a criminal complaint in Switzerland to pressure him into resigning. Meanwhile, the FFF has begun consultations to identify a viable alternative candidate capable of winning the presidency.

How each side framed it

Centre-left
These outlets emphasized the failure of the privatization plan and the broader systemic demand for governance reform and leadership change.
Centre
These outlets focused on the factual announcement of the FFF's withdrawal of support without adding extensive political context.
Centre-right
These outlets highlighted France's historical and sporting legitimacy as a founding member and top ranked team to justify its intervention.

Sources

100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.