Gianni Infantino loses French backing for FIFA re-election

Gianni Infantino’s bid to remain FIFA president has lost the support of France, adding a major European federation to the opposition ahead of the election congress in Rabat. The French Football Federation has formally rejected his re-election, marking a clear change from its previous position.

The FFF executive committee approved the decision on Thursday morning. The vote came after months of controversy surrounding Infantino, including disputes linked to the 2026 World Cup in North America and a proposal to privatise the tournament that was later abandoned. The decision will be put to delegates at FIFA’s elective congress on March 18.

France now joins about 10 European countries opposing Infantino, including England and Italy. FFF president Philippe Diallo had previously kept his reservations private while waiting for the executive committee to reach a collective position. His stance also matches that of UEFA and its president, Aleksander Ceferin, who want Infantino to leave the FIFA presidency.

The shift is notable because the FFF had earlier signed a letter backing Infantino’s re-election alongside several other federations. That support came before the episode involving Folarin Balogun’s red card. France has now moved into the camp seeking a different direction at FIFA.