Infantino Accused of ‘Deception’ by Football Chiefs

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Lausanne: FIFA President Gianni Infantino faced more criticism on Monday as UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation accused him of breaching trust through ‘deception’ and putting himself above the collective leadership of international football.

In a joint letter, the three confederations stated that football belongs to no individual and condemned Infantino's handling of a contentious proposal to allow corporate investment in FIFA events, including the World Cup. The plan was scrapped within days due to widespread criticism.

The confederations said FIFA misrepresented the incident as a failure of communication, contending that it revealed a failure of judgement. They also criticised Infantino's emergency meeting with selected FIFA executives in Morocco.

The dispute arises ahead of FIFA's presidential election in March next year, while Infantino seeks a fourth and final term. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is considered a potential competitor.

UEFA's threat to boycott the World Cup if the investment package went ahead was a major reason in its withdrawal. Infantino continues to receive backing from African football's governing body, while South America's CONMEBOL remains mostly supportive.

The three confederations cited football's recent growth as a collaborative achievement and demanded increased responsibility and transparency from FIFA leadership.