Irish FA pulls support for Infantino and calls for change at FIFA

The Irish Football Association has formally broken ranks with Gianni Infantino, announcing that it will not back the Swiss official's bid for a fourth term as FIFA president in the March election. Northern Ireland's governing body says it is time for a change at the top of world football and will not cast its vote for the current leader.

• The Irish FA confirms it will not vote for Infantino in FIFA's March 2026 presidential election.
• Northern Ireland's governing body links its decision to the abandoned plan to sell a 21% stake in FIFA's commercial operations to a private investment fund.
• England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland had already withdrawn public support for the Swiss president.
• Infantino, 56, is seeking a fourth term that would keep him in office until 2031, a total of 15 years.
• UEFA threatened to boycott all FIFA competitions over the asset sale plan.

Why Northern Ireland is withdrawing support for Gianni Infantino

The trigger for the decision was the since-scrapped proposal to sell a 21% stake in FIFA's commercial business to a private equity firm. The plan sparked widespread criticism across European football and led UEFA to threaten a boycott of all FIFA competitions before the governing body backed down and withdrew the proposal.

The Irish FA had previously aligned itself with UEFA's position without formally pulling its support for the president. Now the Northern Irish federation believes the sale plan exposed deeper problems in FIFA's leadership, going well beyond a failure to communicate.

What the Irish FA says about Infantino's governance

The proposal to sell part of FIFA's assets to a private equity firm without consultation represents more than a failure of communication. In our view, it raises fundamental questions about strategy, governance and stewardship of our assets.

With that statement, the Irish FA officially joins the bloc of British and Irish federations that have withdrawn their confidence in the current president. The message points directly to a lack of consultation and transparency in decisions affecting the assets of the organisation that governs world football.

Which football associations have already dropped Infantino

The football associations of England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland had already publicly declared their opposition to the Swiss administrator's continued leadership. With Northern Ireland now on board, all five federations from the British Isles and Ireland hold a common stance ahead of FIFA's presidential election.

Despite these defections, Infantino still enjoys the support of most continental confederations and a large number of federations in Africa, Asia and the Americas, where his tenure has met with far less resistance than in Europe.

What is at stake for Infantino in the FIFA presidential election

Infantino took over as FIFA president in 2016 following the resignation of Joseph Blatter amid a corruption scandal. Since then he has pushed through changes such as expanding the World Cup to 48 teams and introducing the new Club World Cup, decisions that have also drawn criticism from players, leagues and unions.

If the Swiss official wins re-election in March, his term will run until 2031. By then he will have spent 15 years at the helm, a longevity unprecedented in FIFA's modern era and one that critics say contradicts the renewal he promised when he took office.

UEFA's role in the growing pressure on the FIFA president

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has ruled out running for the FIFA presidency, but his confederation has been the most combative towards Infantino's management. The boycott threat over the asset sale plan exposed the rift between Zurich and Nyon and gave European federations cover to take a public stand against the Swiss leader.

That European opposition, however, has not translated into a credible alternative candidacy. With only months to go until the vote, Infantino remains the strong favourite to continue despite growing unease in parts of European football.

Timeline and next steps in FIFA's election process

FIFA's electoral congress will take place in March 2026. All 211 member associations will vote for the next president. Infantino is bidding for a fourth consecutive term, something that has never happened before in the era of direct elections by all national associations.

The withdrawal of support from five European federations does not block the Swiss candidate's path, but it increases pressure on his leadership and fuels the debate over term limits and transparency in the running of world football's governing body.