The English Football Association (FA) is expected to withdraw its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, deepening the growing backlash against the football chief following the collapse of his controversial proposal to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors.

The move comes amid mounting opposition from football governing bodies across Europe and beyond, with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) already announcing it has withdrawn its backing for Infantino’s bid to secure another term as FIFA president.

The controversy centres on Infantino’s now-abandoned plan to establish a commercial subsidiary that would oversee FIFA’s flagship tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, while allowing external investors to acquire minority stakes in the business.

Under the proposal, FIFA intended to create a new entity known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would manage the commercial rights to its major competitions. The governing body said investors would only be permitted to purchase minority, non-controlling interests in the venture.

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However, the proposal sparked widespread criticism from football authorities, who argued it threatened the governance and long-term independence of the global game.

UEFA and CONCACAF—the governing bodies for European football and football in North, Central America and the Caribbean—have already expressed serious concerns over Infantino’s leadership and the decision-making process behind the plan.

Adding to the pressure, UEFA is now reportedly considering legal action against FIFA over the proposed restructuring.

According to The Telegraph, UEFA informed Infantino in a formal letter that it is actively exploring legal proceedings, arbitration and regulatory complaints in connection with the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.

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The European governing body also instructed FIFA to preserve all relevant documents and electronically stored information related to the proposal, warning that these obligations override any routine document retention or deletion policies.

If confirmed, the English FA’s decision to withdraw its support would represent another significant setback for Infantino as questions continue to mount over his leadership ahead of the 2027 FIFA presidential election.