French Football Federation withdraws support for Infantino

The French Football Federation has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino's re-election as FIFA president, becoming the latest European federation to break with him ahead of the vote due on 18 March 2027. FFF president Philippe Diallo announced the decision on Thursday, saying it was taken unanimously by the federation's executive committee.

Diallo said trust in Infantino had broken down after FIFA's failed attempt to sell a minority stake in its commercial and event operations, including the men's and women's World Cups, to private investors. The plan, first reported in the days after July's men's World Cup final, was shelved within a week once it became clear it had split opinion across the game. Diallo cited France's standing as a FIFA founding member and its ten years inside the world top three as grounds for the federation to speak out.

The FFF said the episode formed part of a wider pattern it could no longer support.

«a series of events directly involving FIFA’s governance and its president, and in direct conflict with the fundamental principles of good governance and the values of football it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place seriously damaged the image and unity of football».

France joins Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Scotland and England among federations that have pulled their backing. UEFA had threatened to boycott FIFA competitions over the private-investment scheme before it was dropped, and opposition to Infantino has not eased since. The FFF has now opened consultations with French and foreign figures on governance reform, with a view to settling on a candidate to back in the presidential election.

With a growing bloc of major European federations withdrawing support less than six months before nominations are expected to open, Infantino's previously uncontested path to a third term looks less certain, and UEFA's response to the FFF's call for governance reform is likely to shape whether a rival candidate emerges.