Overview
- UEFA formally demanded Gianni Infantino’s withdrawal and began preparing a criminal complaint in Switzerland on Wednesday to pressure him to step down before the March 2027 FIFA congress.
- The campaign follows revelations about a now-abandoned plan to sell stakes in FIFA tournaments to private investors that reporters linked to interests connected to President Donald Trump.
- Senior European figures have gone public with calls for change, with DFB vice-president Hans-Joachim Watzke urging a voluntary exit and Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro declaring “we are now fighting against Infantino.”
- European leaders acknowledge they need a challenger who can win votes beyond Europe, and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani has suggested Carro as a plausible, non-European-backed option.
- Infantino remains in office with no sign he will resign and the Swiss complaint could trigger formal inquiries that reshape the race for FIFA’s presidency and how global federations work with the governing body.