The FIGC announced that it will no longer support the Swiss re-election in 2027 and aligned itself with Aleksander Ceferin and other critical European federations
Amid a heated political internal struggle within FIFA, Gianni Infantinohas lost another significant endorsement. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Wednesday that it will withdraw its support for the Swiss candidate in the presidential elections scheduled for March 2027, a decision that deepens the confrontation with UEFA.
The Italian entity explained that its stance responds to "the recent initiatives promoted by the FIFA president regarding governance and the development of international competitions". In this way, the FIGC aligned itself with UEFA and its president, Aleksander Čeferin, one of Infantino's main critics in recent months.
"We will continue working alongside UEFA and other European federations to promote a vision of football based on merit, solidarity, sustainability, and the centrality of fans", stated Giovanni Malagò, president of the FIGC.
The Italian leader added that the federation identifies with "a model of dialogue, listening, and shared responsibility that has, until now, allowed football to grow, innovate, and at the same time, defend its foundational principles".
The decision comes after weeks of tension over various initiatives pushed by Infantino, particularly the project that contemplated the participation of private investors in FIFA competitions (FIFA Forward Enterprise). The proposal was withdrawn at the end of July after receiving a strong backlash and generating concern among various confederations and national federations.
In this context, Italy is not the first European federation to change its stance regarding the leader. England, Wales, and Ireland have already withdrawn their support for the Swiss chief, while Norway has called for his resignation and five other Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands) expressed that they have "lost confidence" in his leadership.
Infantino is receiving less and less support for his re-election in FIFA
Infantino has held the presidency of FIFA since 2016 and in recent years had managed to be re-elected unopposed. However, the outlook for 2027 seems much more complex: the deadline for submitting candidacies will be November 18, and for the first time in a long time, the Swiss could face an election with a rival.
