The Scottish Football Association officially withdrew its support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino on August 17, announcing it will not vote for his re-election in March 2027. Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA Chief Executive, said, "The Scottish FA will not be voting for Gianni Infantino. That’s in line with the UEFA position and we’ve maintained that stance throughout" [1, 2, 3].
Infantino faced backlash for proposing FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company intended to manage commercial and ticketing rights to FIFA events, including the World Cup, with up to 21% of the stake sold to private investors. The plan drew strong criticism from UEFA and other continental confederations, who threatened boycotts and accused FIFA leadership of lacking transparency and integrity [1, 2, 4, 5, 6].
Regional bodies UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF are weighing a vote of no confidence against Infantino, a rare step under FIFA rules. Fan groups also launched a petition calling for his resignation and reforms to improve transparency and accountability. Football Supporters Europe called the plan "a shameful attempt by one individual – the FIFA President himself – to sell off the World Cup to private investors" [5, 6, 7].
FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour left the organization on August 17, weeks after openly opposing the FFE plan and saying FIFA staff had been "deceived." Lamour described the plan as "the project of one person" and said, "If that means I lose my job, then so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. At least I'll sleep well tonight." Lamour had served as COO since November 2024, having previously been UEFA deputy general secretary [8, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12].
Despite opposition, Infantino retains support from some FIFA member associations, including Africa's CAF and several Arab federations. The upcoming FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 2027 [1, 5].
The controversy is expected to build as UEFA member associations push for no confidence and calls grow for an Extraordinary FIFA Congress, which requires support from at least 43 FIFA members to convene. The next major date is the FIFA Congress in March 2027, where Infantino will seek a fourth term.
