Topline

More than 100 national soccer federations are reportedly in talks to launch tournaments that would rival FIFA’s as the latest development in a massive turn against organization president Gianni Infantino after he announced a now-defunct plan to sell a portion of the World Cup to private investors.

Key Facts

The governing bodies of soccer in Europe (UEFA), North and Central America (CONCACAF) and Asia (AFC) are reportedly talking about organizing international tournaments its 142 teams could compete in if they boycott FIFA until Infantino is pushed out.

Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, reported the proposed plan Monday as the three groups issued an open letter slamming FIFA for secrecy and lack of accountability around the privatization plan announced last month.

The scheme, in which FIFA would have sold a roughly 20% stake in the World Cup to private investors at an equity valuation of $20 billion, was announced in July and quickly slammed by member associations, public officials, former FIFA leadership and the public.

Critics accused Infantino of orchestrating a cash grab that would hurt the integrity of FIFA in the long run and, even after the plan was scrapped, leaders of UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC have criticised the handling of the incident and accused FIFA on Monday of “silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness.”

UEFA, by far the most powerful confederation, has said it will continue with a planned boycott of FIFA competitions and has lost confidence in Infantino's leadership (CONCACAF and AFC have joined UEFA in its condemnation, but have not committed to the boycott).

TANGENT

On Saturday, FIFA lashed out at what it called an ongoing campaign in Europe to “undermine” Infantino after UEFA told British newspapers a female employee was paid to leave her job following an alleged relationship with Infantino while he worked as UEFA general secretary.

CRUCIAL QUOTE

"This is about something more fundamental: the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it," UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC said in their open letter Monday. “When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”

Key background

Infantino’s future at FIFA has been under threat since the World Cup privatization plan was announced to spectacular backlash. Federations said they opposed the plan on its face and were offended by how it was presented. In the letter Monday, UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC said the proposal was “advanced on a compressed timeline, without meaningful consultation, and pushed towards a deadline before Member Associations could properly review its terms.” They rejected an apology from FIFA and Infantino that cast the lack of discussion as an oversight, instead calling it the “product of a design intended to limit scrutiny.” Even after the plan was withdrawn, numerous FIFA member teams that had previously pledged support to Infantino in his bid for reelection as FIFA president have said they won’t vote for him again. England, Wales, Albania, Croatia, Serbia, Finland and Sweden have broken with him, and more teams are expected to follow.

what to watch for

If Infantino is reelected in March. He would need a two-thirds majority “yes” from the 211 member teams in the first round of voting or a simple majority in subsequent rounds to extend his presidency until 2031. Almost 70 teams have said publicly they will vote for him and, with the exception of UEFA, no other group has unanimously said all of its teams are against him. Several Asian nations still back him, as does CONCACAF’s Mexico.