UEFA and CONCACAF said they have lost confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino after the organization scrapped a private investment plan [1, 2].
The dispute signals a major rift in global soccer governance, as two of the most powerful regional confederations threaten legal action against the sport's governing body.
FIFA recently abandoned a proposal to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private equity investors [1, 4]. The plan specifically referenced the 2026 World Cup [5]. UEFA and CONCACAF view the decision to shelve the project as a breach of good governance and a failure of leadership [2, 4].
In a statement issued from its headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, UEFA said, "We have lost confidence in Gianni Infantino" [1, 4]. The organization indicated that the sudden reversal of the investment strategy was unacceptable.
CONCACAF echoed these sentiments in its own statement. The organization said the decision was a "unilateral and egregious act of poor governance and leadership" that follows a pattern of similar behavior [2].
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said that the governing body is considering all possible responses to the situation. "No option should be off the table," Ceferin said [3].
The tension comes as FIFA manages the complex logistics of the expanded tournament format. The abandonment of the private equity plan removes a potential source of immediate capital but avoids the long-term risk of handing profit shares to external investors.
“"We have lost confidence in Gianni Infantino."”
The public break between FIFA, UEFA, and CONCACAF creates a volatile leadership environment for Gianni Infantino. By threatening legal action and citing a pattern of poor governance, the regional bodies are challenging Infantino's authority and the transparency of FIFA's financial decision-making process ahead of the 2026 tournament.
