UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC call for Infantino to resign

UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF have issued an open letter demanding the resignation of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, stating they will seek leadership that serves football rather than seeking to rule over it. This move marks a significant escalation in the crisis engulfing FIFA following the collapse of the 'Football Forward Enterprise' project. The three confederations accused Infantino of a breach of trust through deception, alleging he refused to acknowledge that the project should not have been initiated unilaterally. The letter, signed by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, states that football leadership is not ownership and that trust has been broken by placing oneself above the collective. According to The Guardian, the three confederations have begun preliminary discussions regarding the organisation of new competitions. UEFA has previously threatened to boycott certain FIFA events, and there is now a possibility that next month's Under-20 Women's World Cup could proceed without European teams. The letter criticises FIFA's response to the crisis, dismissing Infantino's apology following a meeting in Rabat as a failure of judgement rather than a mere communication breakdown. The signatories are calling for an independent investigation conducted by a body outside the football structure. They also dismissed concerns regarding potential funding cuts, assuring member associations that existing financial support remains secure. The letter concludes by calling for accountability and transparency, noting that football's strength lies in its unity. Candidates for the FIFA presidency must declare their intentions by 18 November. Sources suggest the three confederations are exploring all options to remove Infantino, provided they align with FIFA's statutes, with Montagliani considered a potential successor. However, support for Infantino remains divided; while few non-European federations have publicly opposed him, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and CONMEBOL have recently voiced their support. Several major federations have requested an explanation from Infantino regarding the project, though they have yet to receive a response.