A joint demand from Europe, Africa and Asia
Three of football’s continental governing bodies — UEFA, the Confederation of African Football and the Asian Football Confederation — have issued a joint open letter calling for Gianni Infantino to step down as president of FIFA. The letter was released after a crisis meeting in Morocco and accuses the FIFA leadership of governance failures and of allowing a small group of members to dominate recent decisions.
The letter specifically references the abandoned Financial Fund for the Development of Football (FFE) initiative, which would have opened the sport to private investment, and argues that the current leadership lacks accountability and transparency.
Infantino apologized during the meeting and secured the backing of his senior executive team, but the letter insists that confidence in his presidency has been eroded and that an independent review of the crisis is essential before the March elections.
While the Argentine Football Association and the Mexican federation have voiced support for Infantino, the European and African blocs have threatened to withhold participation from future men’s and women’s World Cups unless a transparent, third‑party oversight mechanism is established.
The dispute underscores a deepening rift within world football, with confederations demanding unity and accountability as the sport prepares for a pivotal election that could reshape its governance.