The French Football Federation (FFF) has officially withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president, citing a breakdown in trust over controversial commercial projects.
A Sudden Shift in Paris Following the World Cup
The decision marks a sharp turnaround for French football leadership. Philippe Diallo formally submitted that backing on behalf of French football at the end of June, aligning with more than 200 other national selections.
That unity fractured in July. Diallo pointed to Infantino’s controversial and ultimately aborted project to sell stakes in the World Cup by establishing a private commercial company. According to the FFF president, the initiative moved forward without any consultation or information shared with national federations.
Governance and Commercial Friction at FIFA
The friction centers on both the substance and the execution of FIFA’s commercial strategy. Diallo questioned the logic of selling World Cup rights when the recent tournament generated a record-breaking revenue stream of 16 billion euros. Resistance from multiple confederations ultimately forced the plan’s withdrawal, a development Diallo welcomed, though he warned that halting the project does not resolve the broader governance crisis.
He emphasized that the current trajectory of global football administration no longer aligns with the values of the French federation.
UEFA Alignment and the Search for an Alternative
The FFF’s unanimous executive committee vote aligns with a broader movement within UEFA, which remains firmly opposed to Infantino’s leadership approach. As one of FIFA’s historic founding nations and a top-three fixture in the official FIFA world rankings over the past decade, France intends to play an active role in shaping the election landscape.
Rather than simply offering criticism, Diallo announced that the FFF plans to consult international figures and reference NGOs to build a substantive contribution for European football governance. The upcoming UEFA executive committee meeting will establish a baseline platform for the post-March leadership transition, setting the stage to choose a consensus candidate to carry European football’s banner in the upcoming presidential race.
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