3 Ways Gianni Infantino Could Lose His Job as Pressure Mounts on FIFA President

• Gianni Infantino faced widespread backlash after proposing to sell a minority stake in the World Cup through FIFA Forward Enterprise
• Several football governing bodies and senior FIFA figures publicly opposed the proposal, forcing FIFA to abandon the plan
• FIFA's statutes provide three possible routes through which the president could be removed from office

Gianni Infantino is facing growing pressure over his future as FIFA president after a controversial proposal to sell a minority stake in the World Cup sparked a global backlash.

The FIFA chief recently unveiled plans to invite outside investors into a new commercial subsidiary known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), with reports suggesting US investment firm Thrive Capital, led by Joshua Kushner, was expected to spearhead a multi-billion-dollar investment.

FIFA's 211 member associations were given until September 19 to decide whether to back the proposal in exchange for financial benefits.

However, the plan quickly met fierce resistance from football's governing bodies across the globe.

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Infantino Faces Mounting Opposition

UEFA led the criticism, warning it could boycott FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, if the proposal went ahead. Concacaf and the AFC reportedly adopted similar positions.

The backlash intensified when FIFA senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, describing the proposal as a "bad deal for the game."

Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour also reportedly threatened to resign after claiming he had been misled over the plans.

Facing mounting criticism, Infantino abandoned the proposal, prompting UEFA to accuse FIFA of pursuing a "shabby, back-room deal" and declaring it had lost confidence in the president's leadership.

England's Football Association also called for a review of FIFA's leadership, further increasing speculation over Infantino's future.

Three Ways Infantino Could Be Removed

According to FIFA's statutes and reports from Sky News, there are three main routes through which Infantino could lose his position.

The first is a vote of no confidence. If at least 20% of FIFA's member associations—equivalent to 43 countries—request an extraordinary FIFA Congress, members could vote on whether to remove the president.

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The second option is through FIFA's Ethics Committee. If formal complaints lead to an investigation and serious breaches of FIFA's ethics code are established, sanctions—including a ban from football activities—could follow. However, this route currently appears less likely.

The third possibility is electoral defeat. Infantino is due to seek re-election in March, and FIFA's Congress could vote for a different candidate to replace him.

With pressure continuing to grow, the debate over Infantino's future is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

Source: YEN.com.gh