It seems that the path for Gianni Infantino's opponents to remove him from the presidency of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has become more complicated, after the president of the federation succeeded in recent weeks in strengthening his support network, in conjunction with the decline of the European threat to boycott FIFA tournaments, and the absence of any actual movement so far to put forward a vote of no confidence in him.
According to the British newspaper The Telegraph, Infantino took advantage of the past weeks to consolidate his position, taking advantage of the silence surrounding the position of the majority of the 211 national federations in FIFA, at a time when no declared competitor has yet emerged for the presidency of the federation in the elections scheduled for next year.
The newspaper points out that a photo that Infantino posted on his Instagram account last week, in which he appeared alongside the President of the Polish Football Association, Cesare Kulisha, reflects some of the difficulty of the task facing his opponents.
The Polish Federation was one of the 55 European federations that UEFA had previously announced its readiness to boycott one of the FIFA tournaments, in protest against Infantino’s plans related to the World Cup, but Poland did not announce a position opposing his candidacy for a fourth term.
Since the start of the moves to remove him, no vote of no confidence has been put forward against Infantino, nor has any competing candidate officially come forward to run in the presidential elections, which gave the FIFA president additional space to consolidate his support and communicate with the heads of national federations, at a time when he continued to appear alongside football officials from around the world.
In another indication of its attempts to expand the circle of support, FIFA appointed former Manchester City player Gilson Fernandez as director of member association affairs in the Caribbean region, which includes 21 voting associations.
Opponents of Infantino believe that such moves could contribute to strengthening his support before the elections. Michael Ricketts, president of the Jamaica Football Association, said that Infantino “may have made a mistake,” but he believed that his plans were aimed at helping small countries, citing the possibility of Jamaica obtaining about $40 million to invest in football. He also criticized UEFA's position, considering that the European Union always tends to oppose the FIFA president, regardless of his performance.
Infantino's chances were further enhanced after Reuters reported last week, citing multiple sources, that the FIFA president currently has enough support to win a new term.
The agency quoted a source familiar with the deliberations between senior football officials as saying that Infantino’s opportunities have changed significantly in recent weeks, noting that his relationships, which he built during about 10 years in office, have become “almost unbreakable.” Canadian Victor Montagliani, Vice President of FIFA and President of the North and Central American Confederation and CONCACAF, is one of the most prominent names that could have posed a real challenge to Infantino, but the chances of his candidacy seem related to the extent of his ability to ensure sufficient support before making the decision.
On the other hand, accusations related to the use of influence and political rewards still surround Infantino’s administration, amid questions about whether some of those who declared their support for him have benefited from positions or decisions within the FIFA system. Among his most prominent supporters is Samuel Eto'o, president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, who is facing a complaint before the FIFA Ethics Committee regarding financial transfers from Russia to his personal account, accusations on which the former Cameroonian player has not commented so far.
Morocco also emerged among the most prominent supporters of Infantino, after the president of its Football Association spoke about the possibility of hosting the next World Cup final, at a time when the FIFA president had previously been accused of promising Morocco the final match. The International Federation denied that there was any final decision regarding the location of the match, stressing that Infantino does not interfere in the investigations conducted by ethics committees. According to the Telegraph, a widespread European boycott of FIFA tournaments would have constituted a major threat to Infantino’s continuation in his position, but UEFA backed off from using this option after obtaining guarantees from the International Federation not to re-introduce the plan to sell shares related to the World Cup competition.
European football leaders, according to what the newspaper reported, preferred to spare the players from the repercussions of the administrative conflict, and not appear to be using the boycott as a means to force Infantino to leave. Thus, the opponents of the FIFA President have become more dependent on the legal path. UEFA is preparing to proceed with a criminal complaint related to what it describes as mismanagement, at a time when it is waiting to know whether American courts will force Infantino and others to reveal the details of the plan that was abandoned. The case includes Josh Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. Infantino denies any wrongdoing, while FIFA accused the European Union of launching a “smear campaign.”
If a judicial decision is issued allowing the disclosure of documents, Infantino’s opponents hope that information will emerge that will change the balance of power before the elections, especially since any potential criminal case in Switzerland may take years, while the deadline for submitting applications to run for the presidential elections, set for November 18, is approaching. In light of these developments, Infantino also faces an increasing possibility of confronting his opponents within the corridors of FIFA.
He is expected to meet at the end of September with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and Montagliani, along with other officials, during the European Club Association General Assembly in Copenhagen. The FIFA Council meeting scheduled in Zurich on October 12 may also witness a more intense confrontation, in light of movements by some Council members to demand an independent investigation into a number of files. Among them is the case of American Folarin Balogun, in addition to a plan to sell shares related to the World Cup. At the same time, some European federations began to think about reforming the FIFA system, regardless of Infantino's future.
France was the latest major federation to withdraw its support for the President of the International Federation, announcing its intention to hold consultations with several parties with the aim of developing proposals to reform FIFA’s governance and enhance the transparency and independence of the institution. Philippe Diallo, President of the French Football Federation, said that the trust given to the FIFA President “has been broken,” stressing that the goal is the emergence of a program and candidate capable of winning the elections and ending the Infantino era. However, overthrowing the FIFA president remains an extremely difficult task in light of the voting system that gives each national federation one vote, regardless of the size of the country or its football power.
Steve Lagle, president of the New Caledonia Football Association, explained that the majority of OFC presidents still support Infantino, saying that when they give their word to someone “they remain loyal to him until the end.” While his opponents seek to build a front capable of overthrowing him, it seems that Infantino has so far succeeded in overcoming the most dangerous stages of the crisis, benefiting from the absence of a declared competitor, the cohesion of the network of relationships that he built during the years of his presidency, in addition to the decline of the European boycott card. As the election date approaches, the battle may shift from trying to overthrow him to searching for a candidate who is actually able to collect the votes necessary to end the Infantino era.
Barcelona seems likely to continue its ideal start in the campaign to defend its title, when it hosts Racing Santander in the first confrontation between the two teams in the Spanish Football League since March 2012. German coach Hansi Flick's team emerged victorious from the first five stages of the league, the last of which was on Sunday at the expense of its host Levante 4-2 thanks to a brace by its young star Lamine Yamal, to be alone in the lead, three points behind its runner-up and rival Real Madrid, which will meet its host Elche on Tuesday.
The Catalan team, which also won 5-1 over Feyenoord in the middle of last week at the start of its Champions League campaign, scored 21 goals in five matches in La Liga, an average of more than four goals per match. Although Santander made a successful start at the start of its return to the senior league for the first time since 2012, collecting 7 points from five matches, it will be very difficult for it to surprise its Catalan host, who has not lost to its rival since January 2004 (0 - 3).
The two teams met last season in the eighth final of the cup competition, and Barcelona achieved its eighth victory in a row over its rival (2-0) and the fifteenth in the last 18 confrontations, in a series without defeat. Barcelona may have achieved the full mark so far by winning all five of its matches, but its defensive fragility was exposed on Sunday after Levante reduced the gap from 0-3 to 2-3 in the final minutes. German substitute Karim Adeyemi decided the match for Barcelona in stoppage time with a wonderful individual goal.
Flick told reporters: “It was not our best match, of course.” We started great, but we struggled a little in the second half. We have to keep working to improve. This is normal. There are things we must implement better, much better. We will explain that to the team and then focus on the next match, but I am happy with the result.” For his part, Barcelona defender Eric Garcia told the Movistar network that the team relaxed a bit in the second half and almost paid the price for that, adding: “It was a difficult match, and we made it more complicated than it should have been.” He continued: “But we must learn from that.” “If you give any competitor space to breathe, they will dominate you.”
For its part, Real Madrid will be a guest on Tuesday against Elche, which collected only two points from its first five matches, with the goal of returning with three points and staying close to its Catalan rival. Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho's team returned to victories, after falling to Real Betis 0-1, by defeating Italian Inter 1-0 in the Champions League and then defeating Rayo Vallecano 4-1 in the last stage with a brace from Frenchman Kylian Mbappe. Mourinho, who is returning for a second coaching experience with the Royal Club after the latter exited last season without a title, said: “The victory was very important, especially after we lost the last match in the Spanish League.”
He continued: “We decided the match in the first half (with a 3-0 lead), and this is not an easy matter, after the work we put in after the Champions League match, not only physically, but also mentally.” Like Barcelona, Real Madrid faces a team that has been absent from victories over the Royal Club for a very long time, specifically since March 1978 when it beat them 3-1 in the league, before then failing to achieve victory in 19 consecutive matches between the league and the cup. But Real Madrid must not repeat the scenario of its last visit to its rival's stadium, when it settled for a 2-2 draw last season, after it was on its way to falling before Englishman Jude Bellingham saved it with a last-gasp goal.
Alaves hopes to continue its wonderful start, which saw it collect 10 points from the first five matches to occupy third place on goal difference against Atletico Madrid and Sevilla, when it hosts the wounded Valencia, which has settled for a point so far, which prompted it on Sunday to terminate the contract of its coach Carlos Corberan, who has been in his position since December 2024, and his British executive director, Ron Gourlay. Oscar Sanchez, coach of the reserve team, will take over temporarily until a new coach is appointed.
The inaugural edition of the “Ultimate Championship” competition in Budapest went “well,” according to the President of the International Association of Athletics Federations, British Sebastian Coe, who praised the “positive” reactions from the athletes. Coe described the tournament, which lasted for three days and brought together 381 athletes from 65 national federations to compete for unprecedented financial prizes totaling $10 million, as an “incubator for change.”
An all-black indoor track, a long jump pit filled with pink sand, enhanced graphics and fast-paced coverage designed specifically for television, particularly to target a younger audience, are the highlights of this new, more spectacle-themed tournament. “At first glance, even though it is still early, it seems that the matter has largely succeeded,” Ko told reporters in Budapest. He added: “The athletes were uniquely positive. “From the initial assessment, I think we are in a good position.”
He continued: “We are a conservative sport by nature, and I think we have moved away from the risk-averse side a little, perhaps not much, but it is a start.” Ko pointed out that the atmosphere was “very wonderful” during 3 evenings full of competitions. Jamaican speed legend Usain Bolt, who won 19 world titles, said during a busy career that he wished such financial prizes were available when he was competing. He added: “It is a big thing. It is good for the sport and motivates the athletes to come here and give their best and prepare fully.”
The “Ultimate” tournament brought together 26 Olympic champions from Paris 2024 against 26 world champions from last year’s Tokyo edition, in addition to 25 winners of the Diamond League for the 2026 season. Bolt said: “It is a good step, a first step towards changing athletics for the better. "I think the athletes love it, it's a different energy and a different atmosphere." With 28 competitions being held in a fast-paced, made-for-TV format, Coe described the current generation of athletes as “will be remembered.”
He said: “Over the past two or three years, I have felt that we now have a much wider range of talent across all our competitions.” Ko confirmed that the 2028 edition of the “Ultimate” tournament will be held after the Los Angeles Olympics, scheduled for July 14-30. He said: “Whenever possible, we wanted it to be world championships, and now the Ultimate Championship, the finale of the season.” He added: “This is important, and the athletes also welcomed it.”
Ko hosted more than 20 members of the International Olympic Committee in Budapest, in addition to the heads of the rowing, table tennis and volleyball federations. “We all learn from each other,” he said. Not everyone who watches the 100m race wants to watch everything related to the 100m race. This is how things have changed.” The “Ultimate” tournament received wide praise from athletes in Budapest.
Norwegian runner Carsten Warholm, the 400m hurdles champion, said: “They created a wonderful show with a different atmosphere. "I love him." American Kenny Bednarik, champion in the 100 and 200 meters, added: “Everything is a little more exciting than at the world championships.” American Nikki Hiltz, who finished third in the 1500 m race, said: “This event is wonderful, and it is nice that the International Association of Athletics Federations allocates $10 million to invest in its athletes. I want this award to be in every tournament!”
There were some concerns before the start of the tournament regarding the field competitions, as they did not include the women's shot put, discus throw or hammer throw. British Jazmine Sawyers, who came second in the long jump, said: “The championship is worse without the rest of the track events.” But Sawyers added that the event was a “wow moment” for her, and that she would use her $75,000 prize money to fund an additional year in the sport and buy a new sewing machine. Ko admitted that the decision to exclude some competitions was difficult. He said: “There was some concern before the start about what this might mean for us, and there were inevitable discussions about missing some competitions.” He added: “But this is not a fixed thing that does not change. Things may look different next time.”
