Canadian Prime Minister Apnews stated on Wednesday that he no longer has confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Speaking in Toronto, Carney criticized the soccer leader’s handling of an abandoned proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup, a plan that sparked an intense global backlash from football confederations, national associations, and senior advisers.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Withdraws Support for FIFA President
Carney argued that Infantino committed a severe governance failure by failing to consult key leadership figures before advancing the initiative. The idea that proper governance is not to disclose to your closest advisors, your chief operating officer, your fellow board members something of consequence that you’re even considering — let alone proposing — that should be fatal,
Carney said, according to the winnipegfreepress.com. Certainly I don’t have confidence in Mr. Infantino.
Canada recently co-hosted the 2026 World Cup alongside the United States and Mexico. During the tournament, Carney appeared alongside Infantino at multiple events, including sitting together in a box at the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
The Controversial $20 Billion Proposal and Global Backlash
Carney’s remarks followed Infantino’s decision to abandon a proposal to create a $20 billion company to operate the World Cup in partnership with private investors, including the Kushner family. The plan triggered immediate opposition across the international soccer community.
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and its 55 member associations strongly opposed the initiative, agreeing to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions if the plan proceeded. Similar opposition came from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham also criticized Infantino, calling him the wrong man to lead
world soccer.
Internal dissent at FIFA accompanied the external pressure. Kevin Lamour, FIFA’s chief operating officer and number three official, stated that employees felt deceived by the private-equity investment scheme, describing it as a single-person project that showed disrespect toward staff. Additionally, senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned after expressing categorical opposition to the plan.
Future Leadership and Election Outlook
Despite Infantino’s reversal, UEFA stated it would work with other confederations to ensure a similar proposal cannot happen again. While Infantino retains backing from select member associations such as 2022 World Cup host Qatar, several European federations—including Finland, Wales, Serbia, and Sweden—have withdrawn their support.
FIFA’s next presidential election is scheduled for March in Rabat, Morocco, with candidates required to enter the race by November 18. Among the potential names mentioned as a possible successor is winnipegfreepress.com, a Canadian who serves as CONCACAF president and FIFA vice president.
When asked if he would support Montagliani for the position, Carney emphasized that the choice belongs to world soccer’s governing body rather than politicians, while praising Montagliani as an exceptional individual and a credit to football.
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