Uefa, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have accused Fifa and its president, Gianni Infantino, of breaking trust “through deception” in an open letter. The letter, signed by the presidents and general secretaries of the three regional governing bodies, states that recent controversy surrounding the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal is fundamentally about “the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it”.
The FFE proposal involved creating a new company to manage commercial and ticketing rights for all Fifa competitions, including the World Cups, with 21% of it to be sold to a private investment company. This plan was abandoned after widespread criticism, particularly from Uefa, which had threatened a boycott of all Fifa competitions.
Concerns over leadership and governance
The open letter claims that when trust is broken “through deception” and an individual prioritises themselves over the collective that granted them authority, their duty has been abandoned. It further states that leadership in football is a “duty of service to the football family” rather than a possession or a demand for power.
While the letter does not directly name Infantino, sources indicate that it is intended as an opportunity for him to resign with dignity. This follows a statement from Fifa itself, which criticised a “concerted and ongoing effort” to “undermine” the organisation and Infantino.
The three confederations, representing Europe, North America, Central America and the Caribbean, and Asia, also criticised a Fifa statement issued after Infantino called management board members to a meeting in Rabat, Morocco. They highlighted that Infantino excluded Fifa Council members and member associations from this meeting, instead summoning only Fifa-employed senior staff.
The letter from the confederations argues that Fifa’s acknowledgment of mistakes in the FFE process did not go far enough. It asserts that the proposal itself was “inherently wrong” and that attempting to sell an interest in the Fifa World Cup constituted a “profound failure of judgement” and a “fundamental breach of trust”.
Fifa has committed to presenting a report on these events to the Fifa Council, with the next meeting expected in October. However, the confederations believe that proper governance would require an independent third party to conduct such a review, rather than Fifa itself.
Potential for breakaway competitions
Preliminary discussions have taken place between the three confederations regarding the possibility of breakaway competitions if Infantino remains in his position. Uefa had previously insisted that Fifa’s defence of Infantino “changes nothing” concerning a potential boycott of competitions.
The confederations have not provided specific details on what these potential breakaway competitions might entail or when they would commence. They emphasised that “football’s strength has always been its unity” and called for this unity to be honoured, advocating for leadership that serves football rather than seeking to command it.
Despite these discussions, Concacaf and Asia have not yet publicly committed to a possible boycott. Within Concacaf, Mexico has expressed support for the Fifa president. Among the 46 AFC members, eight countries have publicly backed Infantino: United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Kuwait, Mongolia, the Philippines, and Bhutan.
The first significant test of Uefa’s threat is anticipated in just over three weeks, with the scheduled kick-off of the Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. This tournament is set to feature five other European nations, including England, with France having stated their intention to compete.
Sources close to the opposition against Infantino suggest that the joint statement sends a clear message for him to resign rather than seek re-election. The preliminary discussions about organising competitions among the confederations aim to ensure players can still compete even if Fifa tournaments are boycotted.
The AFC president, Sheikh Salman, signing the letter indicates confidence that many within the region desire change, despite some countries in Asia still supporting Infantino. Infantino continues to hold the support of South America, Africa, and Mexico within Concacaf.
If Uefa and Concacaf were to vote as a bloc against Infantino, with some exceptions, they would need approximately a third of the AFC to join them to win any vote. The fact that those behind the revolt are keen for him to step down suggests uncertainty about securing enough votes for a challenge. This latest move by the confederations intensifies the pressure on Infantino in what has been described as an unprecedented civil war in world football.
Source: bbc.co.uk