UEFA and other continental football confederations are considering staging their own World Cup if FIFA president Gianni Infantino refuses to resign, escalating an increasingly bitter dispute over the future of the sport’s biggest international competition.
Infantino, 56, is determined to remain in office despite provoking widespread opposition within football after unveiling a controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private-sector investors. He was later forced to abandon the proposal, in what was viewed as a humiliating retreat.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin is leading calls for Infantino to step down, with officials from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) and the Asian Football Confederation also involved in the campaign.
The Times has reported that the groups have formed an alliance aimed at removing Infantino and paralysing FIFA. The coalition is examining the possibility of organising its own international competitions if Infantino refuses to leave office and attempts to secure re-election in March next year.
UEFA already has plans for a global Nations League that would rival the World Cup. The European governing body was first asked to develop the concept in 2017, although it has not yet been introduced.
The proposed breakaway tournament would represent the most serious challenge to FIFA’s control of the international game. The World Cup is currently organised under FIFA’s authority, with national associations and continental confederations operating within that framework.
Infantino has reportedly received only 15 declarations of support from FIFA’s 211 member associations since details of his failed investment project emerged. That limited backing has intensified efforts by his opponents to weaken his position before the next FIFA presidential election.
The Football Association has joined its counterparts in Wales in withdrawing support for Infantino ahead of next year’s election for the FIFA presidency. The move adds to the pressure on the FIFA leader from within the British game and follows growing concern among European associations over his plans.
UEFA has also said that England and all of its other member associations would boycott the World Cup if Infantino’s proposal were approved. Such a move would threaten the participation of Europe’s national teams in the competition and could create an unprecedented confrontation between FIFA and UEFA.
Infantino’s opponents are also drawing up plans to boycott meetings of the FIFA Council and its committees. They are considering refusing to approve decisions taken through those bodies as part of a wider attempt to obstruct the organisation’s operations.
In addition, UEFA is examining possible legal action against FIFA officials over the consequences of the crisis. The nature and timing of any proceedings have not been specified, but the prospect adds another layer to the dispute.
The confrontation centres on Infantino’s determination to continue in the FIFA presidency despite the collapse of his private-investment plan and the loss of support from a number of national and continental associations. If the opposing confederations proceed with a separate global competition, football could face a split over who controls international tournaments and represents the game on the world stage.
