The Italian Football Federation has joined other nations in withdrawing its backing for FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The FIGC announced that it will no longer support Infantino’s reelection bid in March due to recent FIFA governance and international competition development initiatives. Infantino faced criticism for his abandoned plan to sell shares of the World Cup to private investors, leading to accusations of deception from three continental confederations and a potential boycott of FIFA competitions by UEFA.

FIGC President Giovanni Malagò emphasized the importance of promoting a soccer vision based on merit, solidarity, sustainability, and fan engagement, aligning with UEFA and other European federations. Several federations, including those of England, Wales, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and the Faeroe Islands, have expressed loss of confidence in Infantino’s leadership.

Despite initial expectations of an uncontested reelection in Morocco next year, Infantino is now facing challenges within FIFA. While some member federations support him, including Morocco, Qatar, and Lebanon, others like Saudi Arabia have not publicly endorsed him despite political ties. UEFA is reportedly poised to rescind its boycott threat against FIFA competitions following assurances that Infantino’s contentious World Cup sell-off plan will not be revived.

The situation has affected European teams preparing for the upcoming FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. France, Spain, England, Italy, Portugal, and Poland are among the nations participating, with Infantino’s abandoned commercial rights subsidiary proposal causing uproar in the soccer community. UEFA has demanded guarantees that the plan will not resurface, signaling its lack of confidence in Infantino’s leadership.