Three of world football’s six continental confederations have dramatically escalated their confrontation with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, accusing FIFA’s leadership of breaking trust through “deception” in an extraordinary joint open letter.
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF released a three-page document pressuring Infantino over controversy surrounding FIFA’s proposed World Cup investment deal.
Together, the three confederations represent 143 national football associations, giving the intervention significant weight within world football.
The letter begins by acknowledging major developments in the game during Infantino’s decade as FIFA president, including the expanded World Cup and the awarding of the 2030 tournament to Spain, Portugal and Morocco and the 2034 edition to Saudi Arabia.
However, the confederations stress that those achievements belong to football collectively rather than any individual.
Their criticism then becomes far more direct.
The letter says that “football belongs to no individual” and claims trust has been damaged through deception surrounding attempts to bring private investment into interests connected to the World Cup.
The proposal itself is described as a “profound failure of judgment”.
The three organisations also accuse FIFA’s leadership of failing to properly address the controversy after it became public.
“There is silence where there should be accountability,” the letter states.
It closes with perhaps its strongest message yet to Infantino.
“We call for leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it.”
The wording stops short of directly demanding Infantino’s resignation. However, the message represents a major escalation in the growing dispute between FIFA’s president and three of the sport’s most powerful continental bodies.
Crucially, the letter also makes clear that the confederations are not seeking to reverse previously awarded World Cups, including Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 2034 tournament.
That could prove particularly important for the AFC, whose members include Saudi Arabia.
The letter therefore appears designed to separate the wider future of FIFA and its tournaments from the increasingly personal question surrounding Infantino’s leadership.
For Infantino, that distinction may be uncomfortable.
Three confederations are now publicly questioning the way FIFA is being led, and their message is no longer simply about one controversial commercial proposal.
It is about trust, accountability and whether they still believe the current president should lead world football.
