• Gibraltar FA has withdrawn its endorsement of Gianni Infantino’s bid for another term as FIFA president.

• The association cited concerns over transparency, consultation and decision-making surrounding FIFA’s Forward Enterprise proposal.

• Gibraltar FA also raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding former FIFA executive Kevin Lamour’s departure.

Gianni Infantino has suffered another setback in his bid for a fourth term as FIFA president after the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) withdrew its support for his 2027 re-election campaign.

READ ALSO: Rights group urges FIFA to block Gianni Infantino re-election bid over term limits

The Gibraltar FA announced the decision on Monday, August 24, saying developments surrounding FIFA’s governance in recent weeks had changed its assessment of Infantino’s leadership.

The association had previously endorsed Infantino’s candidature but said that support was given “in good faith” based on the circumstances at the time.

However, it said the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal and concerns over how the plan was handled had led it to reconsider its position.

READ ALSO: FIFA hits back at UEFA, other critics over ‘conscious efforts’ to undermine Infantino

The FFE proposal involved plans to create a commercial arm of FIFA and seek private investment in the organisation’s tournament-related commercial rights. The proposal was withdrawn earlier this month following strong opposition from UEFA and other football authorities. 

The Gibraltar FA also pointed to the departure of FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour, whose employment with FIFA ended on August 17, just weeks after he publicly criticised the FFE proposal as part of reasons it decided to withdraw its support.

Before losing his job, Lamour had described the proposal as the “project of one person” and said FIFA staff had been “deceived” over the plan. His departure has also become another major issue in the growing criticism of FIFA’s governance.

READ ALSO: FIFA fires its COO, Kevin Lamour for criticizing Infantino’s World Cup investment plan

Several other associations, including England, Wales, Finland, Serbia, Israel, Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand, have also withdrawn support for Infantino or taken positions against his re-election.

Despite the growing opposition in parts of Europe, Infantino continues to have significant backing. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and South American confederation CONMEBOL remain supportive of his leadership.

Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, is seeking another term at the FIFA Congress in March 2027 in Morocco.