Infantino has no future at FIFA, says European Leagues chief

What the report says

European Leagues president Claudius Schaefer has said FIFA president Gianni Infantino should not continue in the role, in comments reported by Al Jazeera from an interview published by The Athletic. Schaefer said the league group, which represents 53 men’s and women’s professional leagues, is worried about the direction of FIFA and believes the president’s influence has expanded over time.

According to the report, Schaefer argued that major FIFA decisions are being made without enough consultation with the stakeholders affected by them. He also framed the issue as one of governance and legal responsibility inside FIFA, saying the organization should follow its rules and that the president and board have duties to act carefully.

The remarks come amid wider friction between FIFA and several regional football bodies after FIFA abandoned a proposal to sell part of the World Cup’s commercial rights. Al Jazeera reported that Infantino is under pressure from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, and that those groups have discussed a possible vote of no confidence. Concerns have also been raised over FIFA’s peace prize for Donald Trump and over a red-card-related decision involving USA forward Folarin Balogun during the World Cup.

Schaefer said the key issue is reforming FIFA’s leadership structure, adding that change would require a different president.