Gianni Infantino Rocked by UEFA, LaLiga Campaign to Remove Him as FIFA Boss
- Gianni Infantino is facing fresh criticism from leading European football figures ahead of the 2027 FIFA presidential election
- UEFA, LaLiga and the German Football Association have all intensified pressure on FIFA's leadership over several contentious issues
- Despite the growing opposition in Europe, Infantino is still widely expected to secure another term
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing mounting pressure from influential figures in European football after UEFA, LaLiga and the German Football Association (DFB) openly questioned his leadership ahead of next year's FIFA presidential election.
The criticism follows a series of disputes involving FIFA's governance, tournament policies and the controversial reversal of United States striker Folarin Balogun's World Cup suspension.
Source: Getty Images
Although opposition to Infantino has grown in Europe, the Swiss-Italian administrator remains the overwhelming favourite to retain the presidency when FIFA members vote in Morocco on March 18, 2027.
UEFA and LaLiga step up criticism
According to The New York Times, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin reportedly skipped the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after becoming increasingly frustrated with FIFA's handling of several issues, including the decision to suspend Balogun's one-match ban.
The disagreement added to existing tensions over ticket pricing, tournament scheduling, mandatory hydration breaks, entertainment during half-time and other competition regulations.
Reuters reported that LaLiga president Javier Tebas also renewed his criticism of Infantino, accusing FIFA of placing excessive pressure on domestic competitions by expanding international tournaments.
"In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up."
Despite calling for Infantino's departure, Tebas admitted the FIFA president continues to enjoy significant backing.
"He shouldn't stay, but the current state of affairs means he won't leave."
Tebas also criticised the Balogun decision.
"The suspension of the American player's ban is an extremely serious matter. They were lucky that Belgium eliminated the U.S., because otherwise a case could have arisen that might have cost Infantino his job."
German FA distances itself
Per reports from Sports Illustrated, pressure further intensified after reports that the German Football Association declined to sign a letter endorsing Infantino's re-election. b
The move represents a rare public distancing by one of Europe's biggest football federations, although support from Africa, Asia and South America is expected to secure Infantino another four-year mandate.
Meanwhile, viral social media posts claiming the European Parliament had launched an investigation into the FIFA chief were found to be misleading. While no formal parliamentary inquiry exists, 72 Members of the European Parliament wrote to European football associations urging them to seek an independent FIFA review into the Balogun controversy.
UEFA takes swipe at FIFA by appointing rejected Somali referee
Legit.ng previously reported that UEFA appointed Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup after he missed the FIFA World Cup despite initially being selected among the tournament's officials.
Artan was unable to participate in the World Cup after being denied entry into the United States. UEFA later handed the highly rated African referee one of European football's biggest annual fixtures by naming him the referee for the Super Cup clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa.
Source: Legit.ng
