Overview
- FIFA withdrew the private‑investment plan for World Cup commercial rights and apologised for mistakes in the process after heavy criticism from several confederations.
- European football body UEFA has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino and keeps a formal boycott threat in place, while CAF, CONMEBOL and national federations including Mexico and Argentina publicly backed him.
- Journalistic reporting that UEFA paid a six‑figure departure sum to a former employee has been confirmed by UEFA as a payment under prior rules and been strongly denied by Infantino, intensifying reputational scrutiny and legal preservation steps by European associations.
- FIFA’s management board publicly backed Infantino at a Morocco meeting and accused critics of seeking to undermine the organisation, and UEFA has responded by insisting its conditions for restoring cooperation have not been met.
- The row has turned into a governance crisis that makes a contested March 2027 election more likely, could prompt calls for an extraordinary congress or no‑confidence moves, and may affect upcoming FIFA tournaments and internal staff oversight.