Scottish FA withdraws support for Fifa president Infantino

What the report says

The Scottish Football Association has withdrawn its backing for Gianni Infantino and says it will not support his bid for re-election as Fifa president, BBC Sport reports. SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell said the association has “lost confidence” in Infantino, aligning itself with the position already taken by Uefa and a number of other national associations.

The move comes amid growing criticism of Infantino’s handling of a now-abandoned plan to create Fifa Forward Enterprise, a new company intended to manage commercial and ticketing rights for Fifa competitions, including the World Cup. According to BBC Sport, the proposal drew strong opposition from several confederations and was later dropped. Uefa and other regional bodies have since raised concerns about governance and trust in Fifa’s leadership.

Maxwell made the comments while announcing Sebastian Pocognoli as Scotland’s new head coach. He rejected the idea that the SFA had stayed quiet because its president, Mike Mulraney, chairs a Fifa finance committee. The BBC says England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland have also withdrawn support for Infantino, who is due to seek a fourth term in March.

The wider dispute has split world football, with some confederations backing Infantino and others breaking ranks. BBC Sport notes that no challenger has yet emerged for the election, and that the first major test of the tensions may come at the Under-20 Women’s World Cup later this year.