French Football Federation withdraws support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election bid

The French Football Federation has unanimously voted to pull its backing for Gianni Infantino’s bid to remain FIFA president, marking one of the most significant defections yet in what’s becoming a full-blown European revolt against the governing body’s leadership.

The FFF announced its decision on September 10, 2026, citing concerns over FIFA’s governance that it says emerged after the federation initially endorsed Infantino back in June. In the span of three months, France went from ally to adversary.

The $4.2 billion deal that broke the dam

At the center of the fallout is Infantino’s “FIFA Forward Enterprise” proposal, an ambitious plan to sell a 20% stake in FIFA’s commercial rights to private equity investors for a potential $4.2 billion. The plan drew fierce opposition from UEFA and several other confederations who viewed it as a fundamental compromise of FIFA’s independence and governance principles. On August 1, 2026, the FFE proposal was abandoned entirely.

The FFF pointed to the FFE debacle as evidence that FIFA’s decision-making processes and governance structures need deep reform. The federation alleged that core principles had been compromised in the pursuit of the deal.

France isn’t alone in reaching that conclusion. The Football Associations of England and Wales have also retracted their support for Infantino.

Infantino’s grip on power

Infantino was first elected FIFA president in 2016, then re-elected in 2019 and again in 2023. His current plan is to secure yet another term at the presidential election scheduled for March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco, which would extend his reign through 2031. As of now, he remains the only declared candidate, and the deadline for nominations isn’t until November 18, 2026.

What a European boycott would actually mean

England and Wales have already been mentioned in connection with boycott possibilities, and the FFF’s withdrawal adds momentum to that scenario. FIFA operates on a one-federation, one-vote system across its 211 member associations. Europe’s UEFA bloc accounts for 55 of those votes, meaning even a full European walkout would still leave Infantino with 156 potential voters, more than enough to win an uncontested election.

The FFF has framed its withdrawal not as a personal attack on Infantino but as a demand for structural reform in how FIFA makes decisions and manages its commercial interests. With the November 18 nomination deadline approaching, the next two months will determine whether this European rebellion produces a credible alternative candidate.

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