Gianni Infantino: Will FIFA President Leave After Failed World Cup Plans?

Gianni Infantino did what he does best a few days ago: shock the soccer world.

The FIFA president announced plans for the global body to sell private shares of the World Cup, offering FIFA’s 211 member associations $40 million if they backed a proposal for private investment in its tournaments, including both the men’s and women’s World Cups.

The idea sparked perhaps the fiercest backlash of Infantino’s presidency. FIFA, which operates as a not-for-profit organization, faced widespread criticism over plans to bring private investment into its biggest competitions.

UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, responded by threatening to boycott future World Cups if the proposal went ahead. It later released a scathing statement saying it had “lost confidence” in Infantino’s leadership and described the plans as “shabby” and involving “secret schemes.”

Unsurprisingly, the proposal quickly met its demise.

Just days after announcing the plan, Infantino confirmed it had been scrapped, admitting the project had created divisions that were “no longer in the interest” of its original objective.

The Swiss administrator likely hoped that abandoning the idea would allow the controversy to be swept under the rug while he returned to his role at FIFA. Instead, he now finds himself isolated at the top of an organization he had planned to lead for another four-and-a-half years, with his position suddenly under threat.

So what happens next? Is it time for Infantino to step down, or could he be forced out?

Will Gianni Infantino Step Down As FIFA President?

If the question is whether Infantino will step down as FIFA president after his failed World Cup investment proposal, the answer is impossible to know for certain—but the likelihood is probably no.

This is far from the first major controversy Infantino has faced during his time in charge, and each time he has managed to remain in power.

In 2018, he abandoned plans for a $25 billion private investment deal involving FIFA tournaments after facing strong opposition, particularly from UEFA. He also survived intense criticism over his defense of Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup and the controversy surrounding migrant worker conditions, and later FIFA’s decision to award the 2034 tournament to Saudi Arabia following a heavily criticized bidding process.

Infantino has also faced backlash over his decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize—a new award created to recognize figures who unite soccer communities—to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Through it all, Infantino has remained adamant that he is the right person to lead world soccer’s governing body. If given the choice, he would likely feel the same way this time.

However, whether he gets that choice may no longer be entirely up to him.

Will Gianni Infantino Be Forced Out of FIFA?

Aleksander Čeferin (left) and Gianni Infantino. — Aleksander Čeferin (left) and Gianni Infantino have not always seen eye-to-eye. | Nicolò Campo/LightRocket/Getty Images

While Infantino may not choose to leave FIFA voluntarily, the possibility of him being removed from office is becoming increasingly realistic.

According to reports from Sky News, efforts to challenge his position are already gathering momentum, particularly among figures within European soccer who remain furious over his failed attempt to introduce private investment into the World Cup.

One possible route would be for UEFA to push FIFA toward an emergency congress and a vote of no confidence. Such a motion would require support from 20% of FIFA’s 211 member associations—meaning 43 federations—while UEFA alone represents 55.

Another option would be for opposition groups to back a rival candidate against Infantino in next year’s presidential election, where the Swiss administrator was expected to seek another four-year term.

The potential downfall would be a dramatic turn for a president who has overseen record-breaking World Cups and expanded FIFA’s financial power, but whose tenure has also been marked by repeated controversy.

Ben Jacobs has also reported that UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin is now pushing federations that previously backed Infantino to withdraw their support, while figures such as Concacaf president Victor Montagliani and Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi have been mentioned as possible successors.

Behind the scenes, discussions are already taking place over what a potential transition could look like, with FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström reportedly among those who could help oversee a handover if Infantino’s reign comes to an abrupt end.

After nearly a decade in charge, the question may no longer be whether Infantino can survive the latest crisis—but how long he can hold onto power.

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