"Trust in Gianni Infantino's leadership no longer exists." That's not a disgruntled fan or a tabloid columnist — that's the Swedish Football Federation, speaking for an increasing number of FIFA member associations who are done pretending everything is fine at the top of world football.
Serbia, Sweden, and Wales have all formally withdrawn their support for Infantino's re-election bid, with England's FA expected to do the same. This is no longer a ripple of dissent. It's a wave.
How a $4.2 billion idea blew up in his face
The trigger was Infantino's proposal to sell roughly a 20% stake in a new entity overseeing FIFA competitions — including the World Cup — to private investors, with a potential unlock of up to $4.2 billion. The plan collapsed on Friday after fierce resistance from stakeholders. By Monday, national federations were lining up to publicly distance themselves from the man who pushed it.
Wales went first. "Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept," the FAW said. Serbia followed, noting they'd given written support as recently as May 25 before concluding this reversal was "the only logical and rational decision." Sweden then issued perhaps the most pointed statement of all — citing "recurring shortcomings in governance, transparency and management."
These aren't vague complaints. They're a structured indictment.
UEFA and CONCACAF had already declared they'd lost confidence in Infantino's leadership on Saturday. UEFA has since issued a document preservation order — the kind of administrative step you take when legal proceedings are being considered. FIFA has offered no comment.
Reaching out to Trump, feeling "isolated"
Meanwhile, the New York Post reports Infantino has been repeatedly trying — and failing — to reach U.S. President Donald Trump by phone since the proposal fell apart, reportedly feeling "isolated" amid the fallout. The White House hasn't responded.
Infantino had been on course for a third unopposed re-election before the FIFA Congress in Morocco next March. That now looks like a very different proposition. His 2027-2031 term was supposed to be a formality. Right now, it's anything but.
