European football governing body Uefa has stated that Fifa's backing of its president, Gianni Infantino, following a contentious meeting on Wednesday, August 6th, 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 led the English FA to withdraw its support for him in a formal letter. Uefa emphasized that its conditions remain unmet despite the plan's cancellation, stating: "First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again."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 previously expressed a loss of confidence in Infantino, describing the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal as a "shabby, back room, opaque deal." The European body has warned that European teams could still boycott competitions, including the World Cup, if their concerns are not addressed.

In contrast, support for Infantino was voiced by Conmebol, the South American football confederation, the Confederation of African Football (Caf), and the football associations of World Cup co-hosts Mexico and runners-up Argentina. Concacaf, overseeing football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, also issued a statement after the proposal was aborted but stopped short of expressing lost confidence in Infantino.

Fifa acknowledged "mistakes" regarding the FFE during the Wednesday meeting, noting 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.

Uefa reiterated its firm position on Saturday, making it clear that it has lost confidence in Infantino's presidency and that this stance remains unchanged. The organization called on football's political leaders to "ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions."

Sources