FAI Withdraws Support for Gianni Infantino Amid Governance Concerns

The pressure on Gianni Infantino has moved up another notch – and this time, it’s Ireland turning away from the Fifa president.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has formally withdrawn its backing for Infantino, joining a growing list of European associations breaking ranks, while the Irish Football Association (IFA) in Northern Ireland has thrown its weight behind Uefa’s hardening stance.

Irish split as FAI pulls backing

Infantino’s position came under fierce scrutiny after his attempt to sell a stake in Fifa’s commercial operations to a private investment company, a move that has since been abandoned but has badly damaged trust at the top of the global game.

On Monday, Uefa, along with Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation, signed an open letter accusing the Fifa president of breaking trust “through deception”. The fallout has left his bid for a fourth term in serious trouble.

The Welsh FA was the first of the home nations to step away last week. The English FA followed. Now the FAI has joined them.

The Dublin-based association, which governs football in the Republic of Ireland, confirmed it has rescinded its earlier letter of support for Infantino in correspondence sent to Fifa.

“Following an FAI board meeting, the decision was taken to rescind the letter of support that the Association supplied earlier this year,” it said.

It stressed that it has written to Fifa to set out its reasoning, striking a pointed tone on governance and transparency.

“The Association is grateful for the support that Fifa provides to Irish football, but recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation.

“Considering the governance challenges that the FAI has had to overcome in recent years, the Association feels a particular obligation to advocate for and uphold best practice.”

For an organisation that has spent years rebuilding its own structures after well-documented governance crises, that line lands heavily. The FAI is effectively saying it has seen this movie before and wants no part in a repeat at global level.

Northern Ireland backs Uefa line

North of the border, the tone is more cautious but still telling.

The Irish Football Association, which governs the game in Northern Ireland, has stopped short of formally withdrawing support for Infantino. Yet it has made clear it is aligning with Uefa’s position as the European body leads the challenge to the Fifa president.

“We take our responsibilities as a member association of both Uefa and Fifa seriously,” an IFA spokesperson said.

“We support the current Uefa position on the matter and will continue to engage constructively on issues relating to football governance.

“We are of course aware of the recent developments and wider concerns within the football community. We are considering these matters carefully and will continue to engage through the appropriate governance structures and channels.

“At this stage, we have no further comment.”

The message is restrained, but the direction is obvious: Northern Ireland is not breaking from Europe on this.

With Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation already publicly accusing Infantino of deception, and major associations like those in Wales, England and now the Republic of Ireland withdrawing support, the political ground beneath the Fifa president is shifting fast.

How long can he hold his line when even long-time allies in smaller associations, often crucial in Fifa elections, start to peel away?