Regional soccer powerhouses reportedly weigh no-confidence vote against Infantino

By Liam Tremblay — 20 August 2026 — 3 min read

Regional soccer powerhouses are reportedly discussing a potential vote of no confidence to remove FIFA president Gianni Infantino. This comes after his proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors caused significant discontent among several confederations. Senior figures familiar with the discussions indicate that the European confederation UEFA, Asia’s AFC, and CONCACAF, representing North and Central America and the Caribbean, are considering this action.

There is no known precedent in FIFA‘s 122-year history for its Congress to hold a vote of no confidence in a sitting president. One anonymous source suggested that Infantino might either choose not to seek re-election in March or face a formal no-confidence vote.

Growing Opposition to Leadership

Infantino has faced increasing pressure following the collapse of his plan to sell a minority stake in a new FIFA commercial entity. This entity would have managed the commercial rights for the World Cup. Three of FIFA’s six continental confederations—UEFA, the AFC, and CONCACAF—opposed this proposal, criticizing Infantino‘s handling of it due to concerns over transparency, consultation, and governance.

The situation intensified with the departure of FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, who had previously criticized the investment proposal. Lamour reportedly stated that staff had been “deceived” regarding what he described as a project driven by one individual. FIFA did not provide a reason for his departure.

Sandor Csanyi, a FIFA vice-president and president of the Hungarian football federation, withdrew his support for Infantino, citing Lamour’s departure as the “final straw.” In a letter to Infantino, Csanyi expressed a loss of confidence in the president’s professional judgment, ethical standards, and leadership. He is the fifth of FIFA’s eight vice-presidents to reportedly call for Infantino to step down.

Other senior figures who have made their positions clear include UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, CONCACAF‘s Victor Montagliani, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa of the Asian Football Confederation, and Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt. Among the FIFA vice-presidents, only Alejandro Domínguez of South America’s Conmebol, Patrice Motsepe of the Confederation of African Football, and Oceania’s Lambert Maltock are reportedly still supporting Infantino.

Challenges and Continued Support

Despite the growing opposition, Infantino‘s opponents face significant hurdles. No challenger has publicly emerged ahead of the November 18 nomination deadline for the presidential election. Infantino continues to receive support from various FIFA member associations, including the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

CAF president Patrice Motsepe stated that Infantino maintains Africa’s support and that his future should be determined by FIFA members through an election. Additionally, six Arab football associations, including Qatar and 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco, have publicly backed Infantino. FIFA‘s leadership also reaffirmed its full support for Infantino after a crisis meeting in Morocco earlier this month.

A senior figure close to the matter noted that while a no-confidence vote is favoured by the three confederations, there are concerns that an unsuccessful challenge could inadvertently strengthen Infantino‘s position. Such an outcome might demonstrate his continued electoral support and bolster his standing ahead of the scheduled presidential election next year.

The abandoned investment proposal would have allowed associations to access up to US$20-million in one-off capital for various football development areas, including infrastructure, coaching, national teams, competitions, grassroots football, and the women’s game. FIFA anticipates its revenue for the 2023-2026 cycle to surpass US$15-billion, with the majority generated during this 2026 World Cup year.

European Football Clubs (EFC), representing over 800 clubs and chaired by Paris St Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, is reportedly aligned with UEFA and others seeking changes at FIFA. EFC has warned FIFA that its members might refuse to participate in future men’s and women’s Club World Cups if their concerns regarding governance and club relations with FIFA are not addressed. FIFA’s statutes require an extraordinary congress to be convened within three months if at least one-fifth of its 211 member associations submit a written request.

Source: theglobeandmail.com