France has withdrawn its backing for Gianni Infantino’s bid for another term as FIFA president, joining Belgium, Italy, Scotland, Sweden and Wales among the European federations opposing his re-election. The French Football Federation announced the decision on Thursday as FIFA prepares for its presidential election in March 2027.
FFF president Philippe Diallo linked the decision to concerns over FIFA’s leadership and governance. “We believe that the trust placed in the FIFA president has been betrayed, and that the way in which the governance of world football is envisaged no longer reflects us,” Diallo said. He said the federation’s members unanimously approved the withdrawal of its endorsement.
The dispute centres on Infantino’s abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. The plan sought private investment in FIFA competitions, with FIFA initially proposing to sell a 20% stake in the commercial rights of its tournaments. FIFA dropped the proposal on July 31 after opposition from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF.
CAF had already given Infantino a major electoral advantage before the European backlash intensified. The 54 CAF member associations unanimously endorsed his re-election at a meeting in Vancouver on April 29. That decision gives his campaign an established base across Africa ahead of the FIFA Congress.
Individual African federations can still make their own electoral decisions. Reuters reported that CAF’s endorsement does not guarantee all 54 associations will vote for the FIFA president, with African federations having previously departed from CAF positions during FIFA elections. The distinction leaves each national association responsible for its ballot.
CAF’s position also sits alongside backing from CONMEBOL. Infantino retains support in South America and from several national associations outside Europe, according to Reuters. Those alliances give his campaign regional backing despite the dispute with UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF.
The opposition has yet to produce a formal challenger. Infantino is currently the only declared candidate, while figures considered possible rivals have not entered the race. FIFA will close nominations on November 18, leaving opponents with a defined deadline to present an alternative candidate.
The election will take place in Rabat on March 18, 2027. FIFA’s 211 member associations will vote at the Congress, and a candidate needs a simple majority to win the presidency.
Infantino can also point to FIFA’s financial programmes when seeking continued backing from member associations. FIFA says its Forward programme invested $1.06 billion in African football between 2016 and September 2025, with projected spending reaching $1.28 billion by the end of 2026. The programme includes funding for CAF, regional bodies and the continent’s 54 member associations.
Nigeria adds a separate African dimension to the election. The Nigeria Football Federation rejected claims in August that it had joined calls for Infantino to resign, describing the reports as an “outright falsehood”, while a recent report said the NFF had submitted a nomination letter backing his 2027 re-election bid. Nigeria’s football authorities then met FIFA officials in Zurich on September 1 to discuss reforms to Nigerian football, but that meeting did not establish a new position on the presidential election.
