Fifa president Gianni Infantino has dismissed calls for his resignation, maintaining that he commands the support of the "vast, vast majority" of world football despite the fallout from the collapsed Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) project. Speaking in Baku ahead of the Fifa Under-15 World Cup, Infantino laughed off questions regarding his future, insisting that while disagreements are normal across the sport, governing bodies must be capable of moving forward.
The scrutiny follows the controversial FFE blueprint, which sought to surrender a portion of Fifa's commercial rights to a private investment firm before being scrapped within days. Two months ago, the leaders of Uefa, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) signed a letter accusing Infantino of breaking trust "through deception" and demanding he step down. Although Infantino apologised to the Fifa Council last week over communication and consultation, Council members warned he was not fit to lead if requested files and rationale remain withheld, while Uefa general secretary Theodore Theodoridis set a 2 November deadline for Fifa to release key documents.
Despite acknowledging that Fifa has handled "some things which are maybe less good," Infantino has rapidly consolidated his standing ahead of March's presidential election. Travels across Morocco, Japan, Cape Verde, and the Dominican Republic helped secure endorsements from all African associations alongside the AFC, following a U-turn from AFC president Sheikh Salman. Infantino cited his mandate from 211 member associations, called for regular dialogue to ease strained ties with Uefa, and looks set for an uncontested fourth term, with no rivals registered ahead of the 18 November deadline.
The Fifa chief spoke from Azerbaijan during the inaugural Under-15 World Cup and Festival, an 8v8 format featuring 189 member associations, including England, France, Spain, Argentina, and Brazil. The tournament also featured Russia's first Fifa-sanctioned appearance since its February 2022 suspension alongside Uefa over the invasion of Ukraine. Infantino praised the unifying nature of the youth tournament, which will expand to girls next year before establishing an annual combined event from 2028, even as questions over Fifa's internal legal processes remain ongoing.