Fifa has launched a robust defense of its president, Gianni Infantino, characterizing recent criticism as a “concerted and ongoing effort” to undermine both the governing body and its leadership. The organization issued a firm statement on Saturday, asserting that it will no longer tolerate attacks on its integrity or governance processes.
The pushback follows a report by the Daily Telegraph, which alleged that a woman described as Infantino’s former lover received a severance payment from Uefa during his tenure as its general secretary. A Fifa spokesperson dismissed these claims as “categorically untrue,” while the organization itself condemned the report for presenting “unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims” as fact.
Tensions have escalated following the controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which would have established a new entity to manage commercial and ticketing rights, with 21% of the stake sold to private investors. Although Infantino has since apologized for the plan, the proposal triggered significant backlash, particularly from European football associations.
Uefa has publicly stated it has lost confidence in the president, and Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Federation, explicitly called for his resignation on Friday. European governing bodies have further warned that a potential boycott of Fifa events remains a possibility, citing a lack of assurance that the FFE scheme will not be revived.
In response to the mounting pressure, Fifa emphasized that Infantino remains a democratically elected leader with the full mandate of its member associations. The organization warned that those lacking support from the membership should not attempt to bypass established democratic processes through misinformation or insinuation.
Despite the friction within Europe, Infantino retains substantial international support. The 54 nations of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) have provided unanimous backing, while South America’s governing body, Conmebol, stated it would reject any removal attempt that does not involve a vote from all 211 member countries. The Mexican Football Federation also signaled its support, breaking from the regional Concacaf body.
Infantino recently convened a meeting with the Fifa management board in Rabat, Morocco, to address the situation. A joint statement issued by the president and secretary general Mattias Grafstrom acknowledged that while change often challenges established interests, such disagreement does not justify attempts to erode the institution’s mandate.
Fifa maintained that it welcomes legitimate scrutiny but warned that such oversight is not a license to distort facts or manufacture distractions. The organization concluded by stating that it will challenge any inaccurate or misleading reporting directly and vigorously.
The statement underscored that the president continues to serve with the backing of the associations that elected him, framing the recent wave of criticism as an attempt to derail progress through manufactured controversy.
FFE would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights, with 21% sold off to a private investment company.
The statement released late on Saturday evening was similarly defensive about the criticism the organisation has faced.
