Global fan coalition demands resignation

Supporters organizations across six continents launched an international petition on 20 August 2026 calling for the immediate resignation of FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Operating under the campaign banner InfantinOut on Change.org, the initiative demands an overhaul of world football governance following Infantino's abandoned attempt to privatize tournament revenues. The coalition brings together continental bodies, including Football Supporters Europe, Football Supporters Africa, and the North American Independent Supporters Council, alongside approximately 40 national fan groups from countries including Germany, Brazil, Indonesia, and New Zealand. Among the German signatories are Unsere Kurve, F_in Frauen im Fußball, BAFF, and Queer Football Fanclubs.

The petition accuses the 56-year-old Swiss official of a fundamental failure of leadership and argues that decision-making has become centralized and opaque.

“The shameful attempt by one individual - the Fifa president himself - to sell off the World Cup to private investors exposed a betrayal football will never forget.”

Commercial plan collapses under institutional backlash

The campaign follows the collapse of the FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme, a commercial spin-off announced in July 2026. Under the proposal, FIFA sought to sell a 20% stake in commercial rights covering men's and women's World Cup competitions to private investors for an estimated $20 billion. The initiative triggered resistance from regional governing bodies. Three continental confederations sent an open letter accusing Infantino of deception regarding how the proposal was assembled and presented.

European governing body UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA tournaments, stating publicly that it had lost confidence in Infantino. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also opposed the plan, preventing Infantino from securing backing across FIFA's 211 member associations.

Accumulated grievances and calls for structural reform

Fan representatives describe the private equity plan as the final development in a longer pattern of controversial policies. Signatories cited Infantino's involvement in discussions around the European Super League, a previous proposal to stage the World Cup every two years, and ticket pricing policies for the 2026 World Cup. The petition calls for formal representation of supporters, clubs, players, and leagues in future governance mechanisms, alongside complete transparency in key institutional decisions.

Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, argued that removing the president would only succeed if accompanied by structural safeguards.

“The departure of Gianni Infantino is a first and a must, but that can only have a positive impact if it's followed by some reform of the office and of governance.”

Political balance ahead of the 2027 election

Infantino has resisted calls to resign and is preparing to seek another term in the next FIFA presidential election scheduled for 18 March 2027. Despite losing support in Europe, North America, and parts of Asia, Infantino retains political backing among national federations in South America and Africa.

Under FIFA rules, a candidate requires 106 votes from the 211 national member associations to secure election. Infantino has actively publicized messages of support from individual national federations on social media, seeking to consolidate the arithmetic required to maintain his presidency.

Total member associations211

Votes required for election106

Total member associations

211 votes

Votes required for election

106 votes

Data from the article text