Ireland withdraw support for FIFA president Infantino’s re-election

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has officially withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president, rescinding an earlier letter of backing

The decision followed severe backlash over controversial plans to sell stakes in the World Cup and other major tournaments to private investors.

The FAI joins a growing number of national football associations, including the Welsh and English FAs, that have formally backed away from Infantino winning a fourth term as president following the collapse of his deal to sell a 20 percent stake in FIFA, which would have included tournament rights for the World Cup, to the private equity firm Thrive Capital, headed by American billionaire Josh Kushner.

“Following an FAI board meeting, the decision was taken to rescind the letter of support that the association supplied earlier this year. It has since written to FIFA to explain its reasoning,” a statement from the FAI on Thursday morning read.

“The Association is grateful for the support FIFA provides to Irish football, but recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency, and the lack of meaningful consultation. Considering the governance challenges the FAI has had to overcome in recent years, the association feels a particular obligation to advocate for and uphold best practices.”

Argentina, Qatar, the UAE, and Morocco are among the federations that have publicly backed Infantino to remain as FIFA president until 2031.