Italy Withdraws Endorsement for Gianni Infantino's FIFA Presidential Reelection Bid

Key facts

The Italian soccer federation—officially known as the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio—has formally removed its backing for Gianni Infantino as he prepares for the upcoming FIFA presidential election cycle, according to reporting by The Associated Press.

The decision represents a notable shift in the political landscape of international soccer governance. In FIFA's administrative framework, incumbent presidents traditionally assemble widespread public endorsements and formal nomination letters from national member federations well in advance of the elective FIFA Congress. In previous election cycles, Infantino successfully discouraged potential challengers by securing overwhelming advance backing, allowing him to be reelected by acclamation without a formal ballot paper being cast.

However, as reported by The Associated Press, Italy's decision to pull its support reflects a broader erosion of backing for Infantino among a growing list of national federations. While initial reports did not disclose the precise internal voting record or formal text of the Italian federation's decree, the public decision by one of Europe's founding soccer powers highlights growing friction between European national associations and FIFA's leadership in Zurich. The move signals that national administrators are increasingly willing to challenge the status quo rather than automatically rubber-stamping another presidential term.

Why it matters

The withdrawal of support by a tier-one soccer nation like Italy carries deep structural and political significance for global sports administration. While FIFA's governance rules operate on a strict one-nation, one-vote principle—giving equal voting weight to Italy and the smallest island member association—European football holds unmatched economic and structural influence within the global game. Europe's domestic leagues, continental club competitions, and high-profile clubs generate the vast majority of worldwide soccer revenue and employ most of the sport's international superstar players.

When major European federations publicly withhold support from the sitting FIFA president, it undermines the illusion of administrative harmony that FIFA leadership strives to project. In past presidential contests, FIFA leaders have often built winning majorities by relying on solid voting blocks across Africa, Asia, North and Central America, and Oceania. However, an organized block of European dissent creates serious operational friction.

Furthermore, this political dispute intersects directly with ongoing structural battles over the global soccer calendar, player welfare, and commercial revenue distribution. European federations and domestic leagues have repeatedly expressed intense frustration over FIFA's expanding calendar, including the creation of the expanded 32-team Club World Cup and the expansion of the men's national team World Cup to 48 teams. Critics argue these additions induce severe player fatigue, overcrowd fixture lists, and siphon broadcasting and sponsorship revenue away from domestic leagues and continental tournaments. By publicly pulling support from Infantino, Italy is utilizing its administrative vote to signal deep dissatisfaction with FIFA's unilateral commercial expansion and scheduling policies.

To fully grasp the dynamics of Italy's decision, it is necessary to examine the history of FIFA's executive leadership and the evolving relationship between European football and the global body. Infantino, a Swiss-Italian lawyer who previously served as the General Secretary of European soccer's governing body, UEFA, first assumed the FIFA presidency in February 2016. His ascension occurred during an extraordinary FIFA Congress convened following the massive corruption scandal in 2015, widely referred to as "FIFAGate," which led to federal indictments in the United States, the resignation of long-serving FIFA President Sepp Blatter, and the suspension of former UEFA President Michel Platini.

Infantino campaigned on a platform of transparency, good governance, and financial redistribution, promising to significantly increase development grants distributed to national associations worldwide through FIFA's Forward program. In his initial election in 2016, Infantino defeated Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain in the second round of voting. He was subsequently reelected unopposed at the FIFA Congress in Paris in 2019 and again by acclamation at the 73rd FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, in March 2023.

Under governance reforms adopted by FIFA in 2016, presidential terms were capped at a maximum of three four-year terms, or 12 years total, to prevent the decades-long tenures characteristic of past leadership. However, in late 2022, the FIFA Council determined that Infantino's first three years in office—from 2016 to 2019, when he completed the remainder of Blatter's aborted term—did not count toward the 12-year statutory limit. That statutory interpretation cleared the path for Infantino to potentially remain in power until 2031, a decision that drew quiet condemnation from several European federations.

Relations between FIFA and European stakeholders have grown steadily more strained in recent years. Friction escalated over FIFA's controversial, and ultimately abandoned, proposal in 2021 to hold the men's World Cup every two years rather than every four years. Further tension arose over FIFA's decision to revamp the FIFA Club World Cup into a quadrennial 32-team tournament, which European leagues and player unions, represented by FIFPRO, have formally challenged through legal complaints filed with European regulatory authorities. Italian football leadership, led by FIGC President Gabriele Gravina—who also serves as a Vice President on the UEFA Executive Committee—has consistently aligned with European efforts to protect domestic competition structures and player health against FIFA's expanding global footprint.

Reaction

The announcement that Italy has withdrawn its support for Infantino represents a major public development in international sports politics, according to reporting by The Associated Press. At the time of reporting, neither Gianni Infantino nor FIFA's media office in Zurich had released an official public response directly addressing the decision by the Italian soccer federation.

Formal administrative procedures within FIFA dictate that presidential election processes are governed by the FIFA Electoral Regulations and overseen by the independent Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee. Official candidate submissions and list validation occur within strictly defined statutory timelines ahead of the designated elective FIFA Congress. Consequently, formal institutional reactions from FIFA are typically restricted to official procedural announcements regarding candidate eligibility and nomination tallies.

Meanwhile, reaction within European football circles is expected to manifest during upcoming meetings of UEFA's executive leadership and regional federation caucuses. Observers anticipate that European soccer leaders will evaluate whether Italy's stance will encourage other prominent national federations to openly declare their positions or coordinate a unified candidate to challenge Infantino on the ballot.

What we don't know yet

Several critical details and unanswered questions remain surrounding Italy's decision and the wider election landscape:

What to watch

Moving forward, key developments and upcoming dates will determine the trajectory of the FIFA presidential race:

This account is based on original reporting by The Associated Press.