Jakarta, ThedailyID — FIFA has defended President Gianni Infantino against mounting calls for his resignation following controversy over a proposed sale of World Cup commercial shares to private investors.
The governing body said it would not support any effort to remove its president outside the procedures set out in FIFA’s statutes.
The backlash began after Infantino proposed selling a stake in the World Cup to private investors. Several football confederations, including UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and Concacaf, opposed the plan.
UEFA emerged as the strongest critic and urged Infantino to step down, arguing that he had exceeded the limits of his authority.
Infantino later withdrew the proposal but rejected calls to resign. He also confirmed that he intends to seek another term as FIFA president in the March 2027 election.
Meanwhile, CONMEBOL and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) continue to support his candidacy.
In a statement, FIFA said recent allegations and media reports formed part of an organized campaign to undermine both the organization and its president.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that certain parties are engaged in a coordinated and sustained effort to weaken FIFA and its president,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
The organization added that individuals who fail to gain support through FIFA’s democratic processes should not rely on “allegations, insinuations, or misinformation” to achieve their objectives.
FIFA also dismissed recent reports about Infantino as unfounded and said speculation should not be presented as fact.
