The French Football Federation has officially withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027 in Morocco. Federation president Philippe Diallo announced the decision during an executive committee meeting this week, marking a significant blow to the incumbent FIFA chief's re-election prospects.
Infantino's controversial proposal to sell World Cup broadcasting rights to private investment funds triggered the federation's withdrawal, according to reports from L'Équipe. The move reflects growing European resistance to FIFA's commercialisation strategy, with major football bodies questioning the wisdom of privatising revenue streams from football's flagship tournament.
Growing European Opposition to Infantino
France joins approximately ten other European nations in rejecting Infantino's candidacy. England and Italy have already pulled their backing, and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin is leading coordinated efforts across the continent to challenge the Swiss official. Additional federations are expected to announce similar withdrawals in the coming weeks, suggesting momentum is building against Infantino's re-election.
The FIFA presidential election represents a rare opportunity for member federations to influence global football governance. Held only every four years during the FIFA Congress, this vote will take place in Rabat during March 2027. With European confederations controlling significant voting blocs, their collective opposition poses a genuine threat to Infantino's continuation in office.
The fracturing of Infantino's European support base underscores deep divisions within world football over how commercial revenues should be managed and distributed among member nations and competitions. As federations continue weighing their positions, the 2027 presidential race is shaping into a genuine contest rather than a coronation.
