Three major global football confederations have issued a joint open letter demanding FIFA President Gianni Infantino resign over governance and transparency concerns.
Three major football confederations—UEFA (Europe), Concacaf (North America, Central America and the Caribbean), and the AFC (Asia)—have joined together to call for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign from his position, expressing disappointment with his performance as a "custodian of the game."
An open letter signed by the president and general secretary of each organisation was released on Monday. Infantino has come under severe fire following last month's failed attempt to launch the FIFA Forward Enterprise, a project that sought to sell a portion of the World Cup’s commercial rights to private investors in order to raise billions of dollars.
Infantino further drew criticism after holding a crisis meeting last week in Morocco with select members of FIFA's management team rather than addressing staff at headquarters in Zurich. In their joint letter, UEFA, Concacaf, and the AFC condemned the move, stating: "This recent meeting, where a select number of members of the FIFA Management Committee — not the full Committee — were summoned abroad, rather than leadership going to Zurich to address the heart of FIFA, its staff, only reinforces these concerns and represents a continuation of the very pattern of conduct that brought us to this moment."
The letter further added: "It is not the conduct of a custodian of the game, but of one who believes the game is answerable to him. There is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness. These are not the qualities football deserves in its leadership."
The call for change has split key international stakeholders. U.S. Soccer and Canada Soccer—two co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup—backed the joint statement alongside the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and Central American Football Union (UNCAF), calling on social media for "meaningful change that strengthens FIFA’s governance, transparency and accountability."
However, this puts the United States and Canada at odds with Mexico, the third 2026 World Cup co-host, which has offered Infantino its backing alongside the Argentine Football Association. FIFA responded on Saturday, claiming there is "a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine" the governing body and Infantino.
The 56-year-old Infantino has held the position of FIFA President since 2016, having previously served as UEFA Secretary General from 2009 to 2016. He is currently up for re-election in 2027 as he seeks another four-year term.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Football. Photo courtesy The Hindu Football.