Infantino’s opponents developing new framework for running world football

Fifa has ignored calls for an independent review

STANDING FIRM: Repeated calls from Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation for an independent review of Fifa’s governance have been ignored by Gianni Infantino. Picture: Sam Corum/PA 

Gianni Infantino’s opponents are working together to produce a new framework for running world football to replace what they regard as a system of patronage that Fifa has adopted since he replaced Sepp Blatter as president 10 years ago.

Repeated calls from Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation for an independent review of Fifa’s governance have been ignored by Infantino since his plan to sell off 21% of the World Cup was made public a fortnight ago, and the rebels are now understood to have taken matters into their own hands.

A source with knowledge of the discussions told the Guardian that the three confederations are working on producing a policy document to demonstrate how the world governing body could evolve in the future.

Those involved have been empowered to ask existential questions such as what Fifa’s precise role should be, how it should be structured and what governance model should be adopted. Financial distribution among member associations is also a key consideration, particularly with an eye on how best to deploy funds from Fifa’s estimated $5bn (£3.7bn) reserves.

If Infantino refuses to engage then the new framework is likely to be adopted by a challenger at the presidential election next year, or could even serve as a template for a breakaway organisation.

After releasing a joint statementon Monday which called for “leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it”, Uefa, Concacaf and the AFC let it be known that they have begun preliminary discussions about organising new competitions if the standoff with Fifa’s leadership persists.

At present the Under-20 Women’s World Cup next month could take place without European teams, as Uefa is maintaining that its members will boycott the tournament, unless Fifa moves quickly to set up an independent review of the World Cup sell‑off debacle and provide legally binding assurances that such a move will not be repeated.

The Concacaf president, Victor Montagliani, is seen as the most likely presidential challenger to Infantino at this stage – although, as he told the Guardian in June, his current focus is being reelected as president of the North and Central American confederation next year.

It seemed significant, however, that the joint statement released on Monday contained strong echoes of a speech given by Montagliani at the Fifa congress this year in Vancouver, where he said: “Let me be frank, leadership is not about power.” 

Senior figures from European football are gathering in person for the first time since the Fifa Forward Enterprise scandal broke, with a number of meetings expected in Salzburg – where the Uefa Super Cup final will be held on Wednesday — over the next two days.

The Uefa president, Aleksander Ceferin, will hold talks with Nasser al-Khelaifi, the chair of European Football Clubs, aimed at reinforcing the continent’s unity in demanding a change at the top of Fifa.

Uefa continues to hold firm in its pledge to boycott Fifa competitions, having not received its desired assurances that there will be no recurrence of the issues that caused the current crisis.

Guardian