The French Football Federation (FFF) has officially announced it will not back Gianni Infantino in his bid for another term as FIFA president. The election is scheduled for March 2027, and the decision to withdraw support was reached through a unanimous vote by the federation’s members.
FFF president Philippe Diallo stated that the organization feels the trust placed in the FIFA leader has been compromised. According to Diallo, the current trajectory of world football governance no longer aligns with the values of the French federation. He emphasized that France maintains a historic legitimacy as a founding nation of FIFA and holds the right to intervene when it perceives the governing body is straying from its proper course.
This move places France alongside other European federations, including Belgium, Italy, Scotland, Sweden, and Wales, which have also publicly distanced themselves from the incumbent. The FFF noted that its standing is bolstered by its consistent performance, having remained in the top three of the FIFA rankings for the past decade.
Infantino, a 56-year-old Swiss official who succeeded Sepp Blatter in 2016, remains the only candidate currently in the race. However, speculation continues regarding a potential challenge from FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani. While Montagliani was previously viewed as an ally, he has shown signs of distancing himself from the president.
The current friction stems from backlash over Infantino’s now-abandoned proposal to introduce private investment into the men’s and women’s World Cups via the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative. The plan triggered significant controversy, with UEFA threatening to boycott FIFA competitions and even preparing potential legal action regarding allegations of “criminal mismanagement.” Although UEFA later suspended its boycott threat, it has continued to call for Infantino’s resignation.
Despite the growing opposition within Europe, Infantino retains backing from other regions. Saudi Arabia, the host of the 2034 World Cup, declared its support last month, and both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and South America’s CONMEBOL have maintained their alignment with the president.
Looking ahead, the FFF has confirmed it will initiate a consultation process to determine which candidate it will support in the upcoming election. The vote is set to take place at the FIFA Congress, which will be hosted in Rabat, Morocco. The report also notes that having been in the top three in the FIFA rankings for the last 10 years, it also has sporting legitimacy. The report also notes that such as the World Cup and Club World Cup, he has come under severe pressure since the announcement in late July of proposals to create a commercial subsidiary to run its biggest events. The report also notes that the backlash that followed led to the proposals being quickly shelved.
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