Pressure is growing on FIFA President Gianni Infantino after a failed World Cup investment plan sparked criticism across world football. While some countries now want him to step down, others say they still stand firmly behind him.
The battle over Gianni Infantino’s future as FIFA president has taken another twist after Norway became the first national football association to openly call for his resignation.
The Norwegian Football Federation said Infantino no longer has the trust needed to lead world football following his abandoned plan to sell stakes in the FIFA World Cup to private investors.
Norwegian FA president Lise Klaveness said confidence in the FIFA chief had been badly damaged.
“He does not have the institutional trust required to govern FIFA stably in the times we are in,” Klaveness said.
She added: “There is no going back for Gianni Infantino… We want to ask the FIFA president to resign now.”
Norway’s position goes further than several other European football associations, including England, Wales, Croatia and Albania, which have withdrawn their support for Infantino but have stopped short of demanding he leave office.
Klaveness also questioned several decisions made during Infantino’s leadership, including the awarding of tournaments, FIFA’s peace prize presented to US President Donald Trump and the lifting of a suspension on American forward Folarin Balogun after what was reported to be a phone call from Trump.
SEE ALSO: UEFA Welcomes FIFA U-Turn but Declares Confidence in Infantino Has Been Lost
While criticism continues to grow in Europe, Infantino is still receiving strong backing elsewhere.
Mexico’s Football Federation publicly endorsed his leadership, saying it supports his efforts to strengthen football institutions.
Argentina also praised the FIFA president, describing his leadership as one focused on the global development of football and acknowledging that he had recognised and apologised for his recent mistakes.
The divide highlights how deeply split world football has become. UEFA and Concacaf have both criticised Infantino’s leadership, while the Confederation of African Football continues to support him. Many countries in Asia, Oceania and South America also remain largely in his corner.
Infantino is expected to seek another term as FIFA president next year. Whether the growing opposition can unite behind a single challenger remains uncertain, but the months leading up to the election could become one of the biggest political battles football has seen in years.
