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 its stance on Infantino's 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 by sending a formal letter. Uefa emphasized that its conditions for reconciliation had not been met, stating that "first, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again."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, unclear deal." Despite the aborted plan, Uefa insists its position remains firm.

In contrast, other football bodies 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 publicly backed Infantino.

Fifa acknowledged "mistakes" regarding the FFE 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 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 warned that European teams could still boycott competitions including the World Cup if their conditions are not met, underscoring ongoing tensions within global football governance.

Sources