UEFA urges Infantino to resign, threatens FIFA president with no-confidence vote
Tensions escalate as UEFA reportedly demands FIFA president Gianni Infantino step down, warning of a possible no-confidence vote, according to The Telegraph.
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Tensions have escalated between the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) after the British newspaper The Telegraph reported that UEFA has called for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to resign immediately, warning that a no-confidence vote could be held if he refuses to step down.
According to the newspaper, the crisis erupted after FIFA proposed selling a stake in several of its competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. The plan was later withdrawn due to widespread opposition.
The report added that UEFA threatened to boycott the World Cup with its European teams if FIFA insisted on moving forward with the project. This prompted FIFA, according to the newspaper, to quickly abandon the idea, while UEFA announced it had "lost confidence" in FIFA and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
The Telegraph reported that UEFA informed Infantino he must resign immediately, warning that he could face a no-confidence vote if he remains in office.
The report noted that all 55 national associations under UEFA's umbrella are expected to support Infantino's removal if he refuses to resign, highlighting that only 43 votes are required to trigger a no-confidence vote.
This dispute is the latest in a series of disagreements between the two organizations in recent years, including previous clashes over the expanded Club World Cup every four years and plans to increase the number of teams in the World Cup.
The report explained that the 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams for the first time, while Infantino is seeking to raise the number to 64 teams in the following edition in four years' time.