Gianni Infantino, left, is under sustained pressure from Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin, right, among others (file photo). Mark Pain/Alamy Live News
Political Football
Infantino accused of 'abandoning' duty as football leaders ramp up pressure in open letter
Senior officials from Uefa, Concacaf and AFC issue joint statement condemning Fifa president.
FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI Infantino came under renewed fire on Monday as a joint letter from three confederations — Uefa, Concacaf and AFC — declared football “belongs to no individual”.
Infantino has been the butt of scathing criticism ever since launching, and then withdrawing within days, a plan to bring in private investment into Fifa competitions, including the World Cups.
Fifa had hit back on Saturday at “a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine” football’s governing body and Infantino.
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However, Monday’s letter from the governing bodies of European football (Uefa), North and Central America (Concacaf) and Asia (AFC), showed his critics were unbowed.
“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding — or demanding — power to be held,” they wrote.
“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned,” the confederations added.
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Infantino accused of 'abandoning' duty as football leaders ramp up pressure in open letter
FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI Infantino came under renewed fire on Monday as a joint letter from three confederations — Uefa, Concacaf and AFC — declared football “belongs to no individual”.
Infantino has been the butt of scathing criticism ever since launching, and then withdrawing within days, a plan to bring in private investment into Fifa competitions, including the World Cups.
Fifa had hit back on Saturday at “a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine” football’s governing body and Infantino.
However, Monday’s letter from the governing bodies of European football (Uefa), North and Central America (Concacaf) and Asia (AFC), showed his critics were unbowed.
“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding — or demanding — power to be held,” they wrote.
“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned,” the confederations added.
More to follow…
– © AFP 2026
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