France withdraws support for Gianni Infantino’s FIFA re-election despite him being the only declared candidate

The French Football Federation (FFF) officially announced on Thursday that it is withdrawing its backing for Gianni Infantino ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027. France, world champions in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, now joins the federations of England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, which had already taken the same step in recent weeks.

• France has withdrawn its support for Infantino’s FIFA re-election bid, set for March 2027.
• The decision follows the failed project to bring private investors into FIFA’s tournaments.
• Infantino remains the only declared candidate despite growing pressure.
• The FFF is calling for far-reaching reform of global football governance.
• UEFA is working to present an alternative candidate before the 18 November deadline.

France joins the European front against Infantino

In a statement, the French body explained that its initial endorsement, granted on 29 June, came at a time when Infantino was the sole candidate to succeed himself. However, the federation now believes the conditions that justified that support no longer exist. Since then, according to the FFF, a series of events linked to FIFA’s governance and the president’s actions have directly clashed with fundamental principles of good governance and the values of football.

The French move widens the gap between the Swiss official and a significant section of European football. The federations of the British Isles were the first to withdraw their endorsement of the FIFA president, and now France, one of the most influential national associations on the continent, has stepped forward in the same direction.

The private investment project that triggered the crisis

The source of the discontent was a proposal to bring private capital into a structure created to oversee FIFA’s tournaments. The initiative, pushed by the organisation’s leadership, met with strong rejection from three continental confederations and was eventually withdrawn. In its statement, the FFF welcomed the fact that the project has now been definitively abandoned thanks to a coordinated response within UEFA and alongside other confederations, but warned that the underlying governance issue cannot be considered resolved.

The Fifa president’s recent initiatives have seriously damaged the image and unity of football, and the FFF has therefore decided to withdraw its support for Gianni Infantino.

Infantino keeps his candidacy for the 2027 election

Despite the steady loss of support, Infantino has not changed his position. A FIFA spokesperson confirmed last Sunday that the Swiss official still intends to run for re-election. At present, he is the only formally declared candidate for a vote that will take place in March 2027, even as external pressure continues to build week after week.

The key date in the electoral calendar is 18 November, when the deadline to submit candidacies expires. Until then, UEFA has committed to offering voting associations a solid and credible alternative to challenge Infantino at the ballot box.

The FFF calls for deep reform of world football

The French federation has not limited itself to withdrawing its backing. In its statement, the FFF called for a strategy aimed at far-reaching reform of global football governance. To that end, it announced that it will begin a series of discussions with key French and international figures to define the way forward.

This stance reinforces the idea that the unrest is not only about one individual, but about FIFA’s power structure as a whole. The loss of support from leading European federations turns the 2027 election into a contest that may no longer be a formality for the current president.

What is at stake in the FIFA presidential election

The FIFA presidency concentrates decisive power over world football: the international calendar, financial distribution, the organisation of major tournaments and relations with confederations and leagues. The possible emergence of an alternative candidate backed by UEFA would open an electoral scenario not seen for years. For now, Infantino remains the only formal contender, but his growing isolation within European football adds uncertainty to a process that seemed already settled.