The president of Norway’s soccer federation has urged Gianni Infantino to resign, citing a complete lack of trust in him. In contrast, the federations of Mexico and Argentina have voiced their continued support for the beleaguered FIFA president.
Infantino has faced mounting criticism after three continents rejected his proposal to seek private investment for a company intended to manage FIFA’s competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
Following a meeting on Thursday, Norwegian federation president Lise Klaveness announced the federation’s decision to call for Infantino’s resignation.
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“When trust is lost, it’s essential to reassess leadership. As such, we believe Gianni Infantino’s tenure as FIFA president should come to an end, and we ask him to resign,” Klaveness expressed through a translation.
This announcement adds to the pressure on Infantino, as he navigates the backlash from his controversial plan to monetize World Cup profits through a commercial subsidiary called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).
UEFA stated on Thursday that its potential boycott of the World Cup and other FIFA events remains on the table, even after FIFA scrapped and apologized for the failed plan.
UEFA reiterated its loss of confidence in Infantino.
Earlier this week, Infantino managed to stave off an internal uprising during a summit meeting with key staff in Rabat, Morocco.
FIFA stated that the president still had the full backing of those present at the meeting.
However, UEFA’s stance, coupled with Norway’s direct demand for his resignation, underscores the strong sense of discontent in Europe.
The English Football Association has also retracted its support for Infantino’s re-election next March.
Notably, Infantino has received backing from Mexico and Argentina. Mexico’s support follows Concacaf’s previous criticism of Infantino, describing his actions as a “unilateral and egregious act of poor governance,” and calling for a thorough review of his leadership.
The Mexican football federation (FMF) expressed its alignment with Infantino’s goal to “collectively develop football for the benefit of all 211 member associations,” affirming its support for his leadership in promoting football development.
Argentina’s football association (AFA) expressed gratitude for Infantino’s decade of service and praised the “transparent governance model” he has implemented at FIFA.
Argentina, as part of CONMEBOL, is advocating for the 2030 finals to feature 64 teams and stated it would not back any swift actions to remove Infantino. Meanwhile, the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) expressed its “unanimous support” for Infantino on Thursday.
On Friday morning, LaLiga president Javier Tebas criticized the lack of communication with associations and FIFA executives regarding the investor plan, labeling it a “serious breakdown of institutional governance.”
The Norwegian federation plans to address concerns with FIFA about the FFE, the controversial peace prize awarded to Donald Trump, and the one-match suspension of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun during the World Cup.
“FIFA requires new leadership to restore trust, bolster good governance, and ensure that necessary reforms are implemented,” Klaveness added.
Reported by The Associated Press and PA.