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The Dutch football federation (KNVB) wants a summit on FIFA’s future, excluding President Gianni Infantino, citing lost confidence in his leadership and controversial actions.
Gianni Infantino is facing the heat for his abandoned investment plan. (Reuters Photo)
The Dutch football federation (KNVB) wants to host a summit on the future of FIFA that does not involve its controversial president, Gianni Infantino.
Infantino has been chairing the world body since 2016 and carries strong support, enough to make him the favorite for re-election in 2027. But the 2026 World Cup brought a huge shift in his image.
Before it, the Swiss were only being seen as a tone-deaf operator when he tried to get officials from Israel and Palestine to mingle on a FIFA event’s stage. But at the World Cup, co-hosted by the US, questions were raised on his integrity over his proximity to US President Donald Trump, who was awarded the inaugural FIFA ‘Peace Prize’.
Trump made a call to the FIFA office to push for the overturning of a red-card ban of US striker Folarin Balogun. FIFA went against the grain to suspend the ban, and said it was not a politically motivated call, even though Trump continued to claim credit for it.
The biggest hit came over his now shelved FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan to bring private investment into FIFA events, including the World Cups. As reports came through about Infantino’s plan to rush FIFA approval for it, a huge uproar from football fans inundated social media.
One of the possible investors was close to Trump and Infantino himself was set to gain millions in salary as the chairman of the new setup. The KNVB in a letter to Aleksander Ceferin, president of European football’s governing body UEFA, said it had lost confidence in Infantino, following several other FAs.
“The KNVB no longer has confidence in the leadership of FIFA President Gianni Infantino,” read the KNVB statement.
“We believe FIFA needs new leadership from 2027 onwards. But a new President alone is not enough. The way FIFA is governed must change as well.”
KNVB said it didn’t want a ‘European plan’ for the world and asked for good governance for a better balance of power, putting football’s social power at the heart of FIFA and investing more in football worldwide.
“We therefore propose an International Summit on the Future of FIFA,” it said.
“The KNVB is willing to host this summit in Amsterdam, a city with a special place in FIFA’s history. The 2027 presidential election should not only be about who leads FIFA.
“First, we need to determine what kind of FIFA we want. Then we can identify the leadership needed to deliver that change.”
Quick Answers
Ask News18Gianni Infantino’s re-election as FIFA President in March 2027 is uncertain. He was expected to be re-elected unopposed for a fourth and final term until 2031, but his position is now in danger due to backlash over a cancelled World Cup stake sale.
Ask News18August 30, 2026, 6:19 PM IST
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