KNVB calls Amsterdam summit on FIFA’s future without Infantino

The Dutch football federation has called for a global summit in Amsterdam to debate FIFA’s structure and future leadership without Gianni Infantino. It says the organisation must be reshaped before the football world decides who should lead it from 2027.

The KNVB said replacing the president alone would not solve FIFA’s governance problems. It wants national federations and confederations from every continent to examine how the organisation should operate, with stronger oversight, greater transparency and independent control.

The federation said its support for Infantino’s re-election in 2023 was based on commitments covering good governance, human rights, sustainability and international cooperation. It now says that confidence has been lost, citing what it considers an excessive concentration of authority around the president and insufficient separation between the president and FIFA’s administration. The handling of the since-withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise project was described as a decisive point in that breakdown.

The KNVB also wants human rights, sustainability and action against racism and discrimination to carry greater weight in FIFA decisions. It believes more of the organisation’s revenue should be directed towards developing football worldwide. UEFA declined to comment on private correspondence but said it maintained a productive, longstanding working relationship with the Dutch federation. The KNVB, a founding FIFA member, said its process should begin by defining the desired organisation before identifying the leadership able to deliver it.