Norway has urged Gianni Infantino to step down as FIFA president after his shelved plan to sell stakes in World Cup competitions to private investors, even as he continues to receive backing from Mexico and the head of South American football.
The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) has gone beyond the positions of England, Wales, Croatia and Albania, which have withdrawn support for Infantino but stopped short of calling for his resignation.
NFF president Lise Klaveness said on Friday that Infantino no longer enjoys the institutional trust needed to lead FIFA through the current turmoil. She added that there is no path back for him and that international football cooperation is in serious difficulty, urging him to resign.
Klaveness said Norway will see which other associations may align with this stance, depending on UEFA’s approach. She noted Norway will not push for an extraordinary UEFA board meeting but will convey its call for Infantino to step aside directly to FIFA.
A lawyer by training, Klaveness outlined concerns the NFF has raised with FIFA during her four-year tenure, including issues around tournament awards, the creation of a new FIFA peace prize reportedly given to then–U.S. President Donald Trump in December, and the reversal of a suspension for U.S. forward Folarin Balogun at the recent World Cup, which she linked to a phone call from Trump. FIFA has been asked for comment.
Earlier on Friday, the Mexican Football Federation broke with regional body Concacaf to express support for Infantino, despite Concacaf’s call for a comprehensive review of his presidency following the withdrawal of his investment proposals.
Infantino had offered each association $40m (£30m) in exchange for backing a plan to bring private capital into FIFA tournaments — including the men’s and women’s World Cups — via the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) subsidiary. Mexico, a co-host of the 2026 World Cup, has endorsed his leadership amid widespread calls for him to quit.
In a statement, the FMF said it supports Infantino’s efforts to develop football through stronger institutions. The message echoed Conmebol’s stance that any move to remove the FIFA president should require a vote of all 211 member associations.
Even so, Conmebol voiced concern over what it described as repeated unilateral decisions taken without proper dialogue or use of established mechanisms.
Conmebol president Alejandro Domínguez appeared alongside Infantino at the inauguration of Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, on Friday. He praised Infantino’s record and hailed the 2026 World Cup as “enormously successful,” adding, “we stand with Gianni.”
Looking ahead to next year’s FIFA presidential election, Domínguez said Conmebol supports institutional processes and would welcome a competitive race if another candidate comes forward, arguing that such a contest could be healthy for the game. “We’ll support whatever is best for football,” he said.