Norway’s soccer federation has called for the immediate resignation of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, adding to the pressure on the embattled leader. This decision follows a meeting held by the Norwegian federation on Thursday, where president Lise Klaveness stated that trust in Infantino’s leadership has been lost.
Klaveness emphasized that new leadership is needed to rebuild trust, strengthen good governance, and ensure the implementation of the organization’s reforms. The call for resignation comes as fallout continues from Infantino’s controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary, the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).
European Opposition Intensifies
The announcement from Norway is the latest in a series of challenges for Infantino. UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, reiterated its threat to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions. This stance remains despite FIFA abandoning and apologizing for its failed commercial plan.
UEFA has maintained that it has lost confidence in Infantino’s presidency. The organization stated that the apology issued by FIFA was not sufficient to satisfy its detractors, who are seeking a change in FIFA’s leadership. The English Football Association has also withdrawn its support for Infantino’s re-election, which is scheduled for next March.
While Infantino received backing from Mexico’s federation, the strong reactions from UEFA and Norway highlight the ongoing anger from European soccer bodies. The president of the Asian soccer confederation, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, has also voiced opposition to the FFE plan.
Internal Revolt and Re-election Bid
Earlier this week, Infantino appeared to have averted a potential internal revolt during a summit meeting with senior staff in Rabat, Morocco. FIFA stated that the president had received the full support of those present at the meeting. However, the wording of FIFA’s statement indicated that only “members of the FIFA Management Board in attendance” reaffirmed their support, and a list of attendees was not published.
Reports indicate that some key figures, including Arsène Wenger, chief of global football development, and Jill Ellis, chief football officer, were absent from this meeting. Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser, resigned last week, and chief operating officer Kevin Lamour reportedly stated that staff felt “deceived” by the president’s lack of openness.
The process for Infantino’s re-election will unfold in the coming months, with a vote among the 211 national member federations. Each nation holds one vote, and a simple majority is required for him to retain his presidency. Infantino previously had around 200 letters of support from these federations, though this number is now likely to be reduced.
Continental soccer bodies in Europe, Asia, and North and South America have expressed varying degrees of opposition to Infantino’s plans. However, confederations are not obligated to vote collectively, and there are no guarantees of reaching the votes needed for a majority in a contested election. Infantino has traditionally found support in Africa, which accounts for 54 voting members.
The Norwegian federation also plans to raise concerns with FIFA regarding the FFE and the peace prize awarded to Donald Trump. The deadline for candidates to enter the next presidential contest is November 18.
Potential Boycotts and Future Challenges
The dispute could have immediate ramifications for international competitions. UEFA’s threatened boycott could target the Women’s Under-20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted by Poland from September 5. This tournament would be the first potential target for a boycott.
Looking further ahead, the senior international calendar presents significant challenges for Infantino if he aims to avoid a depleted World Cup. The decision on the host for the 2035 Women’s World Cup is due on November 23.
Source: theglobeandmail.com
