The governing bodies of European, Asian and North American football have united in an unprecedented open letter that directly challenges FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s recent bid to monetize portions of the World Cup.
A Call for Collective Leadership
The letter, signed by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, AFC President Salman Bin Ibrahim Al‑Khalifa, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani and three of their general secretaries, declares that Infantino’s conduct represents a ‘fundamental breach of trust’ and a violation of the sport’s shared ownership.
It argues that football belongs to players, fans, clubs, member associations and the institutions that steward its future, and that no single individual or body should be allowed to override that collective stewardship.
Reactions and Consequences
The coalition recalls that UEFA had previously threatened to boycott FIFA competitions, while Norway’s soccer federation and the English Football Association have called for Infantino’s resignation, underscoring the depth of the crisis.
FIFA’s recent response, delivered at a leadership meeting in Morocco, limited attendance to senior staff and excluded council members and national associations, a move the letter condemns as a failure to acknowledge the ‘profound failure of judgment’ behind the attempted stake sale.
The signatories insist that the sport must be governed by a unified framework that serves the game rather than seeks to command it, urging a return to principles that prioritize the integrity of football above all else.