Italy becomes latest country to withdraw support for Infantino ahead of March 2027 FIFA election

Gianni Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president has suffered another setback after the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) withdrew its support for his candidacy, adding Italy to a growing group of European federations turning against the FIFA chief.The FIGC announced the decision on Wednesday, August 26, saying it would no longer support Infantino in the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027.Italy breaks with InfantinoThe FIGC said its decision was made in agreement with UEFA and its president, Aleksander Čeferin, and was directly linked to Infantino's recent initiatives concerning the governance and development of international competitions.In its official statement, the Italian federation said:“The Italian Football Federation has decided to withdraw its support for Gianni Infantino’s candidacy for the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027.”The FIGC added that the move was intended to “clearly and transparently express” its position regarding the FIFA president's recent initiatives.FIGC president Giovanni Malagò said Italy would continue working with UEFA and other European federations around a model of football based on “merit, solidarity, sustainability, and the centrality of fans.”He added that the federation identified with a system of “dialogue, listening, and shared responsibility”, which he said had allowed football to develop while protecting its founding principles.The World Cup investment plan triggered the backlashInfantino has faced mounting opposition since his controversial proposal to allow private investors to buy stakes in the commercial rights to FIFA competitions, including the men's World Cup.The plan was ultimately abandoned, but the controversy has developed into a much broader dispute over FIFA's governance and the way international competitions are managed.According to The Associated Press, three continental confederations have accused Infantino of “deception”, while UEFA has threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions.The Italian federation's decision therefore comes as part of an increasingly organised European backlash rather than as an isolated withdrawal of support.England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland had already withdrawn their backing for Infantino's reelection earlier this month. Norway has also called for him to step down, while Norway joined Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland and the Faroe Islands in saying they had “lost confidence” in his leadership.Romania also withdrew its support on Wednesday, with the Romanian Football Federation's executive committee voting against backing Infantino for another mandate.FRF president Răzvan Burleanu said:“FIFA needs today a new leader who can produce consensus and unity, inspire trust and who has the ability to bring us all together.”Infantino's once-uncontested reelection is now under pressureThe scale of the opposition marks a significant change from the position Infantino appeared to occupy before the controversy erupted.He has served as FIFA president since 2016 and had previously appeared likely to secure reelection without serious opposition at next year's election in Morocco.That picture has now changed considerably.FIFA has set November 18, 2026 as the deadline for challengers to submit their nominations ahead of the March 2027 election.While several European federations have publicly withdrawn their support, Infantino still retains backing from some FIFA member associations.Among those publicly supporting him are Morocco, one of the hosts of the 2030 World Cup, as well as Qatar, where Infantino lived before the country hosted the 2022 World Cup, and Lebanon, which granted him citizenship earlier this year.Saudi Arabia, which will host the 2034 World Cup and has close ties with Infantino, has not publicly backed him.For now, Italy's decision adds another major European federation to the opposition camp and further complicates Infantino's attempt to secure another term.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.