The Confederations Strike Back
UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have joined forces in an extraordinary joint statement that has sent shockwaves through world football — and England is right at the heart of the rebellion.
Just days after FIFA held a crisis meeting in Morocco where senior executives reaffirmed their support for Gianni Infantino, the three confederations have fired back with a devastating open letter accusing the FIFA president of breaking trust “through deception”.
The statement, signed by UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, AFC president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, declares that football “belongs to no individual” — a direct rebuke to Infantino’s leadership style.
And with the English FA having already formally withdrawn its support for Infantino’s re-election, England is now firmly at the centre of a confrontation that could tear world football apart.
What the Statement Says
The joint statement is nothing short of a declaration of war.
It begins: “Football is the world’s greatest shared passion. It belongs to no individual and no institution.”
The confederations argue that the progress of the past decade — expanded tournaments, the awarding of the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, and the distribution of resources — was achieved collectively, not by one person.
“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding — or demanding — power to be held. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it.”
The most damning accusation comes next:
“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”
The confederations accuse FIFA of treating the crisis as a “failure of communication” when, in reality, it was a “failure of judgment”. They argue that the proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup was “advanced on a compressed timeline, without meaningful consultation, and pushed toward a deadline before Member Associations could properly review its terms”.
The statement concludes: “Football’s strength has always been its unity. We call for that unity to be honoured now, for leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it.”
England’s Pivotal Role
England’s FA has been at the forefront of the rebellion against Infantino.
On August 6, the FA formally withdrew its support for Infantino’s re-election, sending a letter to FIFA declaring that the president had “lost our confidence”. Wales became the first nation to withdraw support on August 3, followed by Serbia, Sweden, Finland and others.
The FA’s 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 build alliances against Infantino.
And with UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC now united against the FIFA president, England’s rebellion has gained powerful allies across three continents.
The joint statement also references “intimidation directed at our membership” — suggesting that nations backing the rebellion, including England, have faced pressure from FIFA to fall in line.
The Crisis Meeting That Changed Everything
The joint statement was triggered by a FIFA crisis meeting held in Morocco.
At that meeting, FIFA’s senior executives reaffirmed their support for Infantino. But the confederations have now made it clear that they do not accept FIFA’s version of events.
They are demanding a review led by a fully independent third party, arguing that FIFA cannot be both judge and jury in examining a decision made by its own administration.
The confederations also criticised the Morocco meeting itself, noting that only one elected official was present — raising further questions about FIFA’s transparency and governance.
The British Media Connection
The joint statement comes just days after The Daily Telegraph published explosive allegations about Infantino’s conduct during his time as UEFA general secretary.
The newspaper claimed that Infantino had an affair with a female subordinate and that UEFA made a six-figure severance payment to her. Infantino has strongly denied the allegations.
But the damage has been done. The scandal has given England and its allies fresh ammunition in their campaign to unseat the FIFA president.
FIFA hit back on Saturday, condemning what it called a “concerted and ongoing effort” to undermine the organisation. But Monday’s joint statement shows that Infantino’s critics are unbowed.
The Coalition Against Infantino
The joint statement confirms that the rebellion against Infantino now spans three continents:
· UEFA (Europe) — has lost confidence in Infantino and threatens to boycott FIFA competitions
· CONCACAF (North and Central America) — has called for a “comprehensive reckoning” of Infantino’s presidency
· AFC (Asia) — has joined forces with UEFA and CONCACAF in this extraordinary statement
England, Wales, Serbia, Sweden, Finland, Croatia and Albania have formally withdrawn their support for Infantino. Norway’s FA president has called for his immediate resignation.
But Infantino retains support from CAF (Africa), CONMEBOL (South America), and several individual nations including Mexico and Argentina.
What Happens Next?
The joint statement is a clear warning: the confederations are prepared to take drastic action.
Talks about rival competitions are already underway. UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. And the three confederations have made it clear that they will not accept a FIFA-led investigation into the crisis.
The clock is ticking. Nominations for the March 2027 FIFA presidential election must be submitted by November 18.
But with England leading the charge and three of football’s biggest confederations now united against Infantino, the FIFA president’s position has never been more precarious.
