The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has declared that FIFA president Gianni Infantino has lost the confidence of its 55 member associations following the collapse of his controversial proposal to sell minority stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors.
The statement came after FIFA abandoned its proposed Forward Enterprise project, which sought external investment in its tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup. The plan had drawn strong opposition from UEFA, whose members reportedly threatened to boycott future FIFA competitions if the proposal went ahead.
Responding to the withdrawal, UEFA said Infantino, who is due to complete his third term in March 2027, has failed to uphold the transparency he promised when he was first elected in 2016.
The European football governing body also accused the FIFA president of using FIFA funds outside the interests of football without the knowledge of member associations.
“The current Fifa leadership has not only lost Uefa’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family,” the statement said.
UEFA recalled Infantino’s pledge to govern FIFA transparently, quoting his 2016 remarks: “Of course we have to be transparent.”
It also referenced his assurance that FIFA’s finances belonged to its member associations and should be used solely to develop football.
According to UEFA, those commitments were not honoured.
“On both these promises, he has failed to deliver. The shabby, back-room, opaque deal he hatched and tried to force through was anything but transparent,” the statement added.
The organisation said it would begin global consultations on a fresh framework for managing FIFA’s financial resources, describing the withdrawal of the proposal as a victory for world football but stressing that restoring trust in FIFA remains a priority.
“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.”
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) also criticised the failed proposal, describing it as a “unilateral and egregious act of poor governance and leadership” that reflects a pattern of poor decision-making.
The confederation added that “a comprehensive reckoning with this presidency is imperative.”