The Dutch Football Association withdraws its confidence in Gianni Infantino and calls for reform of FIFA

In a press release, the KNVB states that the world body needs “new leadership from 2027”, while emphasizing that a change of president will not be enough. The federation, which supported Infantino during his last re-election in 2023, said it based its support at the time on commitments to good governance, human rights, sustainability and international cooperation. “We have now reached a point where our confidence is lost,” she writes, denouncing an excessive concentration of power around the president and an insufficient separation between him and the FIFA administration.

The KNVB believes that the process surrounding the now-withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise project was a “turning point” in its relationship with Infantino. She now calls for a broader debate on the structure of FIFA itself before addressing the question of its future leader. “We must first determine the type of FIFA that international football needs,” she emphasizes.

The federation calls for a “strong and credible” organization, with strengthened governance, increased transparency and independent monitoring. She wants human rights, sustainability and the fight against racism and discrimination to become central elements of FIFA's decisions, and for the body to reinvest a greater part of its income in the development of world football.

To launch this reflection, the KNVB is proposing to host a summit in Amsterdam bringing together national federations and confederations from all continents. “As a founding member of FIFA, we have a special responsibility,” she says, saying we want to act “as a full player in the international football community.” The Dutch Federation summarizes its approach in two steps: “first define the FIFA we want, then identify the leadership capable of implementing it”.