Soccer Confederations Criticize FIFA President Infantino in Open Letter

FIFA, the global governing body for soccer, faces criticism from regional confederations. UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC have released an open letter condemning FIFA President Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell stakes in World Cup revenue to private investors.

The letter characterizes the plan as a "fundamental breach of trust" and states that breaking trust through deception and placing an individual above the collective authority signifies an abandonment of duty. The confederations emphasize that soccer belongs to all players, fans, and member associations, not to any single person or institution.

The dissent stems from Infantino's failed initiative to sell portions of the World Cup to private equity firms. The letter asserts that such actions do not align with the expected standards of leadership for the sport. Norway's Football Federation has called for Infantino's resignation, and the English Football Association has withdrawn its support for his re-election.

FIFA has defended itself, characterizing the confederations' actions as a "concerted and ongoing effort" to undermine Infantino's leadership. The organization also stated it had apologized for errors related to the failed plan, but the confederations view it as a failure of judgment rather than a mere communication mishap. UEFA had previously threatened to boycott FIFA competitions, despite the plan's abandonment.