The European soccer governing body is putting pressure on the future of Infantino

The fallout has spread far beyond Europe, with federations from several continents now debating what kind of leadership they want before the next FIFA election. Gianni Infantino is facing the most serious crisis of his decade-long FIFA presidency after a controversial World Cup proposal collapsed and triggered a wave of resistance across world soccer.

GENEVA (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors was hit hard Thursday by his former colleagues at UEFA, who agreed to boycott all the global soccer body’s competitions in protest.

This is an updated version of an article that first appeared on The Athletic in May 2025. For an insight into the one-upmanship between FIFA, the world football governing body, and UEFA, its European counterpart,

FIFA President Gianni Infantino's opponents want him to resign after UEFA and the FA lost confidence in his leadership over his failed PE plan.

The Asian Football Confederation has joined the North, Central America and Caribbean football association and UEFA in opposition to FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors.

UEFA says it and “other members of the football family” have lost confidence in Gianni Infantino, accusing the FIFA President of a “shabby, back room, opaque” deal after plans to sell a stake in its competitions were abandoned.