Infantino Finally Breaks His Silence
Gianni Infantino has broken his silence on the growing calls for his resignation—and he has a stark message for the English Football Association: the rebellion will not be tolerated.
After days of mounting pressure, with Norway becoming the first nation to formally call for his resignation and the English FA withdrawing its support for his re-election bid, the FIFA president has finally hit back.
In a furious statement released on Saturday, Infantino and FIFA condemned what they described as a “concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine” the world governing body and its president.
And while the statement did not name England directly, the message was unmistakable: the Three Lions’ rebellion has been noticed—and FIFA is fighting back.
What Infantino Said
In a strongly worded statement, FIFA made its position crystal clear:
“It is increasingly evident that there is a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine FIFA and its President. Those who do not have the support of FIFA’s Member Associations should not seek to achieve through allegation, insinuation or misinformation what they cannot achieve through FIFA’s established democratic processes.”
The governing body went further, condemning “unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims” while warning that “speculation and insinuation should not be presented as fact, and repetition does not make an allegation true.”
FIFA also made clear it would “not support, facilitate or tolerate any process concerning the election of the FIFA President that is inconsistent with FIFA’s Statutes, democratic procedures and established governance framework.”
The statement added: “FIFA welcomes legitimate scrutiny. But scrutiny is not a licence to distort facts, amplify unsubstantiated allegations or manufacture distractions designed to undermine progress.”
The Allegations That Sparked FIFA’s Fury
Infantino’s statement was triggered by a bombshell investigation published by The Daily Telegraph on Friday—a British newspaper that has been at the forefront of reporting on the scandal.
The newspaper claimed that Infantino, while serving as UEFA’s General Secretary between 2009 and 2016, had an affair with a female subordinate. The Telegraph reported that the woman received a six-figure severance payment from UEFA, along with fees for an MBA course costing around £45,000 per year, after the alleged relationship was exposed.
UEFA confirmed that a “departure payment” was made to the woman but insisted it was “in line with the regulations applicable to staff at the time.”
Infantino has “strongly denied” the allegations, with a FIFA spokesperson describing them as “categorically untrue.”
But the damage was done. The scandal has given England and its allies fresh ammunition in their campaign to unseat him.
Norway Leads the Charge
Infantino’s silence was broken just hours after Norway became the first nation to formally call for his resignation.
Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness delivered a devastating verdict on Infantino’s leadership, declaring: “There is no going back for Gianni Infantino.”
In an interview with The Guardian, Klaveness said: “We decided that there is no trust in Infantino now. The trust is now gone for us, there is no way back for Infantino.”
She added: “We’re left in a very polarised cooperation globally and, I would say, chaos. So we will ask him to resign immediately so that the global football community can look ahead and cooperate going into the future.”
Norway has gone further than England, Wales, Croatia, and Albania—all of whom have withdrawn support for Infantino without explicitly calling for his resignation.
Why England Is in the Crosshairs
FIFA’s fury is a direct response to the rebellion led by England.
On August 6, the English Football Association formally withdrew its support for Infantino’s re-election bid, following Wales, Serbia, Sweden, and Finland. The FA sent a formal letter to FIFA declaring that Infantino had “lost our confidence” after his failed attempt to privatise 20% of the World Cup—selling commercial rights to private investors for $4.2 billion.
England’s FA chair Debbie Hewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president and member of the FIFA Council, is understood to be working behind the scenes to form alliances against Infantino.
But England didn’t stop there. According to leaked documents, the FA has been secretly developing Project Lionheart—a rival global tournament designed to replace the World Cup and cut FIFA out entirely. The FA has secured provisional agreements from over 40 nations ready to join a World Cup without FIFA.
The Coalition Against Infantino
Infantino’s support base has collapsed in Europe.
· England—withdrew support on August 6
· Wales—became the first nation to revoke backing on August 3
· Serbia, Sweden, Finland—all withdrawn
· Croatia and Albania—have turned their back on Infantino
· UEFA—has lost confidence in Infantino and threatens to boycott FIFA competitions
· CONCACAF—called for a “comprehensive reckoning” of Infantino’s presidency
· Norway—has called for Infantino to resign immediately
UEFA’s 55 member associations could still boycott FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, despite Infantino apologising over the failed plan.
Infantino’s Defenders
Despite the rebellion, Infantino retains significant support outside Europe.
South American governing body CONMEBOL said it would reject any attempt to remove Infantino without a vote involving all 211 FIFA members.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) expressed its “unanimous support” for the FIFA president.
Mexico broke ranks with CONCACAF to back Infantino, saying it supports his leadership in “continuing to promote the development of football.”
Argentina, who beat England in the World Cup semi-final, praised Infantino for recognising and apologising for his “errors.”
What FIFA’s Statement Means for England
FIFA’s statement is a clear warning: the governing body will not tolerate any attempt to remove Infantino outside its democratic processes.
But England has made its position equally clear: Infantino must go.
The FA has already withdrawn its support. It has revealed Project Lionheart. It has weaponized the scandal. And it has mobilised a coalition of over 40 nations ready to join a rival tournament.
The question is: will FIFA’s warning intimidate England, or will it harden their resolve?
The British Media Connection
FIFA’s statement also took aim at the British media, which has been at the forefront of reporting on the Infantino scandal.
“Recent reporting has included unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims concerning FIFA and its President,” the statement said.
The timing is significant. The Telegraph’s investigation—a British newspaper—has been widely shared across English media, fuelling public outrage and putting pressure on the FA to act.
FIFA’s statement appears to be a direct response to what it sees as a coordinated campaign by the British press to destabilise Infantino’s presidency.
