UEFA president Alexander Ceferin has urged European nations to revoke their support for Gianni Infantino amid rising pressure on his position.
president Infantino is facing calls to resign after his .
Uefa chief Alexander Ceferin is urging European nations to revoke support for Gianni Infantino Credit: Getty
The Fifa president is on the brink after his controversial plan to sell off the World Cup collapsed Credit: Getty
The 56-year-old devised a plot to create a subsidiary called Fifa Forward Enterprise, which would have presided over money-making assets at the World Cup.
Fifa’s proposal enraged the world of football, with leading the opposition and threatening to stage a boycott of the World Cup.
They were , which effectively killed off the idea.
Infantino has since after admitting the project had “created divisions” that mean it could no longer move forwards.
But Uefa have now after insisting he has “failed” on his promise to bring transparency to the role.
And according to Ben Jacobs , Uefa chief Ceferin want their member associations to withdraw their letters of support for Infantino that were drawn up before the World Cup final.
It’s understood that more than 200 Fifa members endorsed Infantino for a fourth term at the helm, including over 40 Uefa federations.
One of those includes the English FA, but Uefa want their members to turn their back on Infatino, the report says.
It goes on to say that Infantino’s future “is in serious doubt” after a contentious few months that has seen fans rage at Fifa over their bizarre decision to at the World Cup.
Uefa savaged Infantino and accused him of of leading a ‘shabby, backroom’ plot Credit: AFP
There has also been opposition to hydration breaks at the tournament, as well as a 30-minute half time show during the final amid fears football is becoming too commercialised.
With Infantino seemingly on the brink, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani is believed to be one of the favourites to replace him.
That comes despite being a long-time ally of Infantino’s.
PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi has also been tipped for the gig, but the Qatar FA have thrown their support around Infantino – which may scupper any hopes.
Uefa’s damning statement strongly suggested they wanted to see a major change at the top of Fifa.
Their statement read: “UEFA welcomes FIFA’s decision to withdraw its plan to sell a stake in its competitions – including the World Cup – into private hands.
“We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them to account.
Uefa threatened to boycott the next World Cup if Infantino’s plans went ahead Credit: Getty
“It is right that, in the coming days and weeks, UEFA will work with its associations and in close cooperation with other confederations to reflect on how this happened and devise a plan to make sure that it cannot occur again.
“The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family.
“The shabby, back room, opaque deal [Infantino] hatched and tried to force through were anything but transparent.
“This is a victory for the whole game. But it must not be the end of the story. The proposal has gone. The task of rebuilding trust in FIFA has only just begun.”
Concacaf also put out a strong statement which piled more pressure on Infantino this week.
They said: “When people entrusted with protecting the game conclude they can no longer do so from within, the football family is entitled to ask how such a proposal was allowed to proceed, and who bears responsibility for it.
“FIFA is not a private enterprise. It is a body held in trust for the game and its members.
“Those appointed to serve it carry a fiduciary duty, a duty of service over power. Where that duty is not upheld, accountability cannot be optional.
“We are all simple custodians, serving a game that belongs to us all.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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