FIFA: Italy withdraws from Gianni Infantino (official)

Another blow for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, as Italy has also decided to step away.

On Wednesday, the Italian Football Federation announced it would withdraw its support for Gianni Infantino's candidacy for FIFA president, with the election scheduled for March 2027. This move signals a clear distancing from the head of world football’s governing body, as several European federations, alongside UEFA, have for days expressed strong opposition to some of Infantino's recent initiatives regarding governance and the development of international competitions.

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In its statement, the FIGC emphasized that this decision was made "in full alignment with UEFA and its president Aleksander Čeferin". The aim is to assert its stance against the direction recently championed by Infantino.

FIGC president Giovanni Malagò also reaffirmed Italy’s intention to strengthen its partnership with UEFA and other European federations. "We will continue working alongside UEFA and our fellow European federations to promote a vision of football based on merit, solidarity, sustainability, and the centrality of supporters," he declared.

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.