Wales Withdraws Support for Infantino's Re-election as FIFA President

Gianni Infantino’s grip on power at the top of world football has taken a sharp hit, with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) publicly withdrawing its support for his bid to stay on as Fifa president.

The move comes in direct response to Infantino’s botched attempt to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors – a plan that provoked a global backlash and forced him into a hasty retreat last week. He announced the proposal had been shelved after three confederations rejected it, but the damage to his authority is proving harder to undo.

Infantino, whose decade-long tenure has been dogged by controversy, is due to stand for re-election in March next year for the 2027–2031 term. Until now, most criticism had stopped short of concrete action. Wales has changed that.

In a strongly worded statement, the FAW confirmed it was pulling the plug on its backing for the Swiss administrator.

“The Football Association of Wales hereby confirms its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr Gianni Infantino, for re-election as Fifa president for the 2027–2031 term,” it said.

The language that followed left little room for doubt about the depth of Welsh disillusionment.

“The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football.

“Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”

That verdict lands at a moment when political and football pressure is converging on Infantino. The UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, had already raised the stakes on Friday, branding Infantino the “wrong man” to lead Fifa. England’s Football Association has also called for a “full and robust review” of his leadership.

Now one of the home nations has gone a step further, becoming the first football association to formally withdraw support for his re-election.

Infantino has survived storms before. This one is different. It is no longer just about a misjudged commercial scheme, but about whether the president still commands the trust of the game he claims to serve.