European football governing body Uefa has stated that Fifa's backing of its president, Gianni Infantino, during a meeting on Wednesday, August 5th, 2026, "changes nothing" regarding its lack of confidence in him.

The dispute centers on Infantino's aborted plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, a move that triggered significant backlash. The English Football Association (FA) formally withdrew its support for Infantino in response to this proposal.

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unmet despite the plan's cancellation, stating: "First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again."

The European body has described the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal as a "shabby, back room, opaque deal" and has made clear its loss of confidence in Infantino's presidency.

In contrast, other football organizations including 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 expressed support for Infantino.

Fifa acknowledged "mistakes" in handling the FFE proposal 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.

Concacaf, overseeing football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, also issued a statement after the proposal was aborted but stopped short of declaring a loss of confidence in Infantino.

Uefa has warned that European teams could still boycott competitions, including the World Cup, if their conditions are not met. The organization called on football's political leaders to "ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions."

Sources