ÖFB rejects Infantino’s candidacy again

Another European football association has taken a stand against Fifa President Gianni Infantino, who is under pressure. The Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) announced after a meeting of its supervisory board that it would not support Infantino's renewed candidacy as head of the world football association. “The allegations have not yet been credibly clarified or refuted,” the ÖFB said in a statement.

Infantino is in the biggest crisis of his more than ten years in office. The trigger is his plans to sell World Cup rights for billions to private investors close to US President Donald Trump. The Swiss has since withdrawn this plan. UEFA is preparing criminal proceedings over the investor deal on suspicion of unfaithful business management.

The 56-year-old wants to stand for re-election as FIFA President next year despite ongoing criticism. Above all, the European Football Union Uefa wants to prevent another election victory. The ÖFB stands “fully and firmly behind UEFA’s common line,” wrote the Austrians.

Individual European member associations, including Italy, the Netherlands, Serbia and Wales, had already spoken out clearly against Infantino. Norway's association even called on Infantino to resign immediately. The French Football Association also announced two days ago that it no longer supported Infantino's re-election and that the executive committee of the FFF association had unanimously decided to withdraw its confidence in him. In Germany, DFB Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke said at the beginning of September that he was counting on a "voluntary withdrawal" by President Infantino. He represents UEFA's position that things can only continue without Infantino.

The application deadline for the position is November 18th. Infantino has held the position since 2016.