FAI Withdraws Support for Gianni Infantino's Presidency Bid
The Football Association of Ireland has walked away from Gianni Infantino.
Under growing pressure on the Fifa president, the FAI has formally withdrawn its backing for his bid for a fourth term, hardening the revolt that has been building across European football.
The move drops another heavyweight stone on Infantino’s already unstable footing. His position has been under intense scrutiny since his abandoned attempt to sell a stake in Fifa’s commercial operations to a private investment company, a plan that triggered outrage over governance and control at the top of the world game.
Ireland breaks ranks
The FAI, which governs football in the Republic of Ireland, had previously written a letter supporting Infantino. That support is now gone.
“Following an FAI board meeting, the decision was taken to rescind the letter of support that the Association supplied earlier this year,” the organisation confirmed.
The Association has written to Fifa to set out its reasoning. The tone is polite, the message anything but.
“The Association is grateful for the support that Fifa provides to Irish football, but recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation.
“Considering the governance challenges that the FAI has had to overcome in recent years, the Association feels a particular obligation to advocate for and uphold best practice.”
Those lines land with extra weight given the FAI’s own recent history of crisis and reform. Having dragged itself through a governance reckoning, it is now publicly questioning the standards of the sport’s global leadership.
A growing European backlash
The Irish stance drops into a wider storm. On Monday, Uefa – European football’s governing body – signed an open letter alongside Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation accusing Infantino of breaking trust “through deception”.
That letter crystallised the anger around the failed commercial deal and what many see as a pattern of centralised decision-making and poor consultation inside Fifa.
The home nations have been among the first to react. The Welsh FA broke ranks last week, becoming the first of them to withdraw support. The English FA followed days later.
Now the Republic of Ireland has joined them, adding another national association to the list of those no longer willing to endorse Infantino.
Northern Ireland backs Uefa line
Across the border, the Irish Football Association has stopped short of formally withdrawing its support, but it has nailed its colours to Uefa’s mast.
“We take our responsibilities as a member association of both Uefa and Fifa seriously,” an IFA spokesperson said.
“We support the current Uefa position on the matter and will continue to engage constructively on issues relating to football governance.
“We are of course aware of the recent developments and wider concerns within the football community. We are considering these matters carefully and will continue to engage through the appropriate governance structures and channels.
“At this stage, we have no further comment.”
The language is cautious, yet the direction is clear: Northern Ireland is aligning itself with Uefa’s pushback, while keeping the option of stronger action open as the crisis unfolds.
The net result? Infantino faces a European bloc that is no longer quietly grumbling in the background but actively challenging his leadership. With support draining away from some of the game’s most established associations, the battle for the Fifa presidency is no longer a formality. It is a live fight over who sets the standards – and who gets to run world football.
