Opponents of Gianni Infantino are collaborating to create a new framework for running world football. This initiative aims to replace what they perceive as a system of patronage adopted by FIFA since Infantino became president a decade ago.
UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation have repeatedly called for an independent review of FIFA's governance. These calls have been ignored by Infantino since a plan to sell 21% of the World Cup was made public a fortnight ago, leading the confederations to take matters into their own hands.
A source with knowledge of the discussions indicated that the three confederations are developing a new policy document. This document is intended to demonstrate how the world governing body could evolve, addressing questions about FIFA's role, structure, governance model, and financial distribution among member associations.
If Infantino does not engage with these proposals, the new framework could be adopted by a challenger in next year's presidential election, or potentially serve as a blueprint for a breakaway organisation. UEFA is maintaining that its members will boycott next month’s Under-20 Women’s World Cup unless FIFA quickly establishes an independent review of the World Cup sell-off and provides legally binding assurances against recurrence.
Senior figures from European football are meeting in Salzburg over the next two days, with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin scheduled to hold talks with Nasser al-Khelaifi, chair of European Football Clubs. These discussions aim to reinforce continental unity in demanding change at the top of FIFA.