Dutch Football federation says it has 'no confidence' in Infantino, seeks new FIFA leadership

The Dutch football federation has broken ranks with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, saying it no longer has confidence in his leadership and calling for a change at the top of world football from 2027. The federation also proposed hosting an international summit to discuss how FIFA should be governed in the future, arguing that replacing Infantino alone would not be enough to address the organisation’s problems.Dutch federation calls for ‘new FIFA’In a statement, the federation said it “no longer has confidence” in FIFA President Gianni Infantino. It offered to host an international summit to discuss the future of FIFA.“We believe FIFA needs new leadership from 2027 onwards. But a new president alone is not enough. The way FIFA is governed must change as well,” it said.The federation criticised what it described as an excessive concentration of power around the FIFA president and a lack of separation between the president and the organisation’s administration.World Cup plan deepens riftThe Dutch federation said the controversy surrounding the now-withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal had been a major turning point in its relationship with Infantino.“ Withdrawing the proposal was necessary, but it does not restore the trust that has been lost,” the federation said.It has also shared its position and vision for FIFA with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. UEFA has been at the forefront of growing opposition to Infantino following the failed World Cup sell-off plan, which caused a major rift within world football. Several European federations have withdrawn their support for the FIFA president, while some have gone as far as calling for his resignation.Infantino, however, has given no indication that he intends to step down. The Dutch federation stressed that its campaign was not simply about removing Infantino but about creating a fundamentally different FIFA.“For us, this discussion must be about more than Gianni Infantino. The key question is: what kind of FIFA does football need?” it said.The federation called for a stronger and more credible FIFA that serves its 211 member associations and develops football across the globe. It also insisted that the proposed reforms should not be driven solely by Europe, saying the process should involve FIFA members and confederations from all parts of the world.Three priorities outlinedThe Dutch federation identified three key areas for reform: better governance and a stronger balance of power, putting football’s social impact at the centre of FIFA, and greater investment in the development of the game worldwide. It wants to host an international summit to begin that discussion ahead of the 2027 FIFA presidential election.“The 2027 presidential election should not only be about who leads FIFA. First, we need to determine what kind of FIFA we want. Then we can identify the leadership needed to deliver that change,” the federation said.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.