The French Football Federation (FFF) has officially withdrawn its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino ahead of the organization’s presidential election scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco.
The decision follows a series of developments that the FFF says have raised serious concerns about FIFA’s governance and the direction of the organization under Infantino.
In a statement, the French federation said several issues that emerged after it endorsed Infantino on June 29 were incompatible with what it described as the fundamental principles of good governance and the values of football.
One of the most controversial issues involved a reported plan to sell World Cup media rights to a private investment fund in a deal valued at around $4.2 billion. Although the proposal was ultimately abandoned following coordinated opposition within UEFA and consultations with other confederations, the FFF said broader concerns over FIFA’s governance remain unresolved.
“Recent actions by the FIFA President have seriously compromised the image and unity of football,” the federation said.
The FFF said it now intends to consult representatives of international football to develop proposals for reforms to FIFA’s governance, with the aim of restoring trust and transparency within the organization.
France had initially backed Infantino when he was the only declared candidate for another term. However, the federation said circumstances have since changed and that the conditions underlying its original support no longer exist.
“Although initial support was given to the FIFA President, who was at the time the sole candidate to succeed himself, the conditions for such support no longer exist,” the FFF said.
The withdrawal represents a significant political setback for Infantino ahead of the 2027 election and signals growing pressure from one of Europe’s most influential football federations for deeper reforms to the governance of world football.
