A consortium of soccer supporter groups worldwide has initiated a petition demanding the resignation of Gianni Infantino as FIFA president for his attempted sale of future World Cup revenues to private investors. The petition, under the hashtag InfantinOut, also calls for a restructuring of FIFA to prevent similar incidents in the future. The fan groups, including Football Supporters Europe, Football Supporters Africa, and the Independent Supporters Council in North America, along with approximately 40 national fan groups, are part of this movement.
Despite facing criticism from various soccer governing bodies, such as UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation, Infantino has refused to step down from his position. The petition accuses Infantino of a failure of leadership, citing issues like centralizing power around the FIFA Presidency, lack of transparency in decision-making, and a lack of accountability, which have eroded trust in the organization. The petition emphasizes the need for Infantino’s resignation for the sake of FIFA’s credibility and the future of the sport.
Moreover, the petition highlights Infantino’s controversial support for previous projects like the European Super League and the proposal to host World Cups biennially, which have drawn ire from fans. The ongoing outcry against Infantino’s actions has led to the resignation of key figures within FIFA, such as Carlos Cordeiro, who described the plan to sell a portion of FIFA’s commercial assets as detrimental to football. The petition underscores the urgency for Infantino to resign to restore trust in FIFA and ensure the integrity of the sport.