Emmanuel Petit calls for Fifa change and Infantino exit

Emmanuel Petit has backed calls for change at Fifa while arguing that removing Gianni Infantino alone would not resolve the organisation’s problems. The former France international said the governing body’s way of operating must be reformed, with more concrete proposals needed ahead of its next elections.

Petit was among former internationals who signed an open letter criticising the conduct of Fifa’s leadership. Mikaël Silvestre, Frédéric Piquionne, Olivier Dacourt and Lucy Bronze were also named among the signatories. The initiative followed controversies surrounding the recent World Cup in the United States, including the episode involving Infantino and Donald Trump. The letter did not name Infantino directly, but the campaign has been linked to demands for his departure.

Speaking in his own name, Petit described the move as an attempt to raise awareness rather than a guaranteed route to change. He said the letter was not an attack on Fifa’s entire workforce, noting that some employees were respected and that former team-mates serving as ambassadors should not be blamed.

Petit also connected the current concerns to the earlier Sepp Blatter era, which he said was marked by major scandals. In his view, replacing one president without changing the institution’s operating model would leave the underlying issue intact. He said the initiative reflected a democratic aspiration, while arguing that Fifa was moving further toward the personal use of what should be a collective football institution.