In a significant move, Wales has become the first UEFA nation to officially withdraw its support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election as FIFA President for the 2027-2031 term. The decision by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) follows mounting concerns over Infantino’s leadership, particularly his controversial plans to sell stakes in FIFA’s competitions to private investors.

The FAW communicated its updated position to FIFA, just a day after publicly backing UEFA’s call for a review of FIFA’s leadership and governance. This withdrawal marks a notable shift, as Wales had initially been among the more than 200 of FIFA’s 211 member associations that had sent letters of support for Infantino’s re-election.

In a statement reported by Sky News, the FAW outlined its reasons for the change of heart: “Hereby confirms its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr Gianni Infantino, for re-election as FIFA President for the 2027-2031 term. The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football. Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”

A bold stance against commercialization

The FAW’s decision comes in the wake of widespread opposition to Infantino’s proposals to commercialize FIFA’s flagship tournaments. These plans, which included selling off stakes in competitions to private investors, drew strong condemnation from major confederations. UEFA had threatened to boycott FIFA competitions if the plans proceeded, while CONCACAF and the AFC also made their opposition clear. Facing this unified resistance, Infantino and FIFA ultimately decided to shelve the controversial initiatives.

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The sentiment against Infantino’s commercial vision was echoed by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who went further by calling for the FIFA President’s resignation. Speaking to GiveMeSport, Burnham articulated a clear concern for the sport’s future:

“My perspective is that football needs to be protected from being completely overtaken by commercial interests. At the end of the day it is about the joy of the sport, using the power of football to redistribute as much as possible back to the grassroots of the sport. It feels as though people have forgotten that at the top of the game and they see it as yet another vehicle to make money. If football becomes that, and is only that, then it kills the thing that we’ve all grown up loving.”

A shifting landscape of support

While over 200 member associations initially endorsed Infantino, a handful of nations notably withheld their support from the outset. According to Jan Aage Fjørtoft, these included:

• Norway

• Sweden

• Denmark

• Germany

The Guardian reported Germany as the highest-profile outlier among those who did not sign the initial letter of support. Conversely, England and the Netherlands did send letters of support for Infantino, as noted by Jan Aage Fjørtoft. Wales’ withdrawal now adds a significant voice to the growing dissent against the current FIFA leadership, potentially signaling a shift in the global football governance landscape.

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