Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf have called on Gianni Infantino to resign, but he now has backing from Donald Trump, who called replacing him 'a terrible mistake'. FIFA's election follows in March.
Gianni Infantino leads FIFA, football's world governing body, and is standing for re-election as president in March. Media reporting about his conduct has put him and FIFA at odds with parts of the press, with the organisation treating the coverage as an attack on its president rather than legitimate scrutiny.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that replacing FIFA President Gianni Infantino would be 'a terrible mistake'. Reports on Tuesday presented the statement as support for Infantino during a power struggle at the head of world football.
Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf have written an open letter urging Gianni Infantino to step down as Fifa president and accusing him of deception, the Guardian and The National reported on Monday. The Guardian writes that the three confederations are also discussing rival competitions and that Concacaf president Victor Montagliani is seen as the leading candidate to succeed him.
FIFA has dismissed calls for president Gianni Infantino to step down over allegations about his conduct, describing a concerted and ongoing effort to undermine the governing body and its president. In an interview published on Sunday, La Liga president Javier Tebas said the Infantino era is over.
FIFA issued a new statement alleging a "concerted and ongoing effort by some" to undermine its president, Gianni Infantino, after reports that UEFA paid a six-figure departure package to a female employee said to have been in a relationship with him. Infantino, a candidate for re-election in March, rejects the allegations, and FIFA says any insinuation of inappropriate conduct is defamatory.