The English Football Association is preparing to formally withdraw its support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president, following the collapse of his plan to sell private stakes in the World Cup. According to Sky News, the FA is set to send a letter to FIFA withdrawing its backing, adding to a growing list of governing bodies and associations turning against the Swiss-Italian official.

Wales was the first member association to officially retract its support. England is next.

Infantino shelved the privatisation plan on Friday night after three confederations rejected it. The scheme, reported to be worth around £15 billion, had been proposed without consultation with key stakeholders. Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation both objected to being left out of discussions, while UEFA threatened to boycott all FIFA competitions — including the 2030 World Cup and next year’s Women’s World Cup — before Infantino backed down.

UEFA’s response has gone beyond expressing displeasure. The European body has written to Infantino confirming it is actively considering legal action over the privatisation scheme. Its letter instructs Infantino and FIFA to preserve all documents and electronically stored information related to the proposal.

UEFA described the deal as a shabby, opaque, backroom arrangement, and stated it had lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership. The FA echoed that position, calling for a full and robust review of FIFA’s governance to ensure the global game is run transparently and in the interests of all 211 member nations.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham also weighed in, stating Infantino is the wrong man to lead FIFA.

Senior FIFA Executive Distances Himself From the Plan

Inside FIFA, senior figures are also breaking ranks. AP News reports that a senior FIFA executive said he had no involvement in the proposal and opposed it without reservation. He argued FIFA already holds billions of dollars in reserves with no debt, making the sell-off unnecessary. He described it as the project of one person, and said football’s leadership now needs to ask itself the right questions and take the right decisions.

Infantino Lobbies for Support Through Trump-Aligned Nations

Despite the pressure, Infantino has shown no indication he plans to resign. The Telegraph reports he has been contacting states aligned with the Trump administration for backing. Qatar, Morocco, and Lebanon have each issued public statements of support. The Qatar Football Association called for unity and said it fully backs Infantino’s continued leadership. Lebanon suggested the privatisation scheme could be revisited at a later stage, while the Moroccan federation welcomed the withdrawal of the proposal but maintained its backing for Infantino.

Real Madrid became the first major club to publicly oppose the plan, calling its failure good news for football and its fans.

Infantino is said to believe he retains majority support among FIFA’s 211 member nations. The next steps — including any formal no-confidence vote — remain unclear.