Wales becomes first federation to withdraw support for Infantino after collapse of FIFA's $4.2bn plan

Wales has withdrawn support from Gianni Infantino's FIFA re-election after a failed $4.2bn World Cup stake plan triggered a leadership and governance crisis.

The Football Association of Wales has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s bid to remain FIFA president until 2031, becoming the first national federation to publicly turn against him following the collapse of FIFA’s controversial World Cup investment proposal. Infantino, who has led world football’s governing body since 2016, intends to seek another four-year term at the FIFA Congress in Morocco in March 2027. His re-election had previously appeared to be little more than a formality, having been returned unopposed on two previous occasions.

Gianni Infantino speaks during the event. (REUTERS)

However, the failure of FIFA’s plan to sell part of the commercial rights connected to its leading competitions has placed his leadership under unprecedented scrutiny. FIFA had proposed selling an approximately 20 percent stake in a newly created entity that would oversee the commercial rights of competitions including the men’s World Cup. The organisation hoped the deal could raise as much as $4.2 billion from private investors. The proposal was abandoned on Friday following fierce opposition from football stakeholders, including major regional confederations.

Wales says Infantino has lost its confidence

The Welsh FA announced on Monday that it would no longer support Infantino’s candidature for the 2027–2031 term, citing failures in governance, leadership, stakeholder management and judgement.

In its full statement, the Football Association of Wales said: “The Football Association of Wales hereby confirms ‌its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr. Gianni Infantino, for re-election as FIFA President for the 2027–2031 term.

“The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football.

“Failing to put the ⁠best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”

FIFA had not publicly responded to the Welsh federation’s statement at the time of the report. The decision makes Wales the first individual football association to formally withdraw its backing for Infantino. It also represents a significant escalation in the growing opposition to his leadership following the abandoned investment project.

UEFA and CONCACAF turn against Infantino

The pressure on Infantino had already intensified after UEFA and CONCACAF, the governing bodies for football in Europe and North and Central America respectively, said they had lost confidence in his leadership. UEFA had led the opposition to the proposed sale and welcomed FIFA’s decision to abandon the plan.

The European governing body also sent FIFA a document preservation order, requiring emails, files and other relevant data to be retained in anticipation of a possible investigation or legal proceedings. UEFA did not, however, confirm reports that it was preparing legal action against FIFA.

Infantino announced in April that he intended to seek what would effectively be another term as FIFA president. He initially replaced Sepp Blatter in 2016 before securing re-election without opposition in 2019 and 2023. Until the World Cup stake controversy, Infantino appeared to retain firm control over FIFA and faced no obvious threat to his position.

The collapse of the proposal has now exposed deeper dissatisfaction among FIFA’s member associations and regional bodies. Wales’s withdrawal of support could encourage other national federations to reassess their backing ahead of the 2027 election. Infantino remains in office and has not indicated that he will abandon his re-election campaign. But what once appeared to be a straightforward path to another term has now become considerably more uncertain.