European football governing body Uefa has stated that Fifa's backing of its president Gianni Infantino at a meeting on Wednesday, August 5th 2026, "changes nothing" regarding their stance on his leadership.

The controversy centers on Infantino's aborted plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, a move that prompted the English FA to withdraw its support for him. Uefa emphasized that its conditions had not been met, stating, "First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again."

Uefa has openly expressed its loss of confidence in Infantino, describing the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal as a "shabby, back room, opaque deal." Despite the plan's cancellation, Uefa's position remains firm.

In contrast, other football bodies such as Conmebol, the South American confederation, the Confederation of African Football (Caf), and the football associations of World Cup co-hosts Mexico and runners-up Argentina have voiced their support for Infantino.

Fifa acknowledged "mistakes" regarding the FFE proposal during the Wednesday meeting, stating it was "not the intention" for the Fifa Council and member associations to "feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently."

Following the meeting, Infantino and his deputy Grafstrom were seen together, smiling at a Women's Africa Cup of Nations match between Malawi and Zambia, suggesting a temporary easing of tensions.

Concacaf, overseeing football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, also issued a public statement after the proposal was aborted but did not declare a loss of confidence in Infantino.

The situation leaves open the possibility of European teams boycotting competitions, including the World Cup, as Uefa's conditions and concerns remain unresolved.

Sources