English FA set to join Welsh in withdrawing support for Infantino

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Gianni Infantino has been in charge of Fifa for 10 years

The English Football Association is set to write to Fifa president Gianni Infantino withdrawing its support for him amid the fallout from his scrapped plans to sell off stakes in Fifa competitions to private investors.

It comes as Uefa threatens legal action over the proposals and Wales publicly withdraw backing for Infantino's bid to continue as Fifa president.

Next March, Infantino is set to stand for re-election for a fourth and final term as president and would need 106 votes from Fifa's 211 members to win.

Infantino's leadership had already been publicly questioned by football's governing bodies in Europe, North and Central America and the Caribbean, with Uefa and Concacaf releasing statements criticising the plans.

Fifa and Infantino wanted to create a commercial subsidiary to run its main events, including its World Cups, and external investors would have been able to buy stakes in it.

World football's governing body said it would "invite third parties to make minority, non-controlling investments" in a new subsidiary called Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).

As first reported by The Telegraph, Uefa said in a letter to Infantino "it is actively considering legal action, arbitration, and/or regulatory complaints (together, the 'proceedings') arising out of and in connection with the FFE plan proposed by Fifa".

Uefa added it wants "immediate steps" to "preserve all documents and electronically stored information" in Fifa's possession "independent" of their internal policies that may result in "routine document destruction or deletion".

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Published3 days agoInfantino wrote to all 211 Fifa member associations saying they would receive $40m (£30m) if they backed his controversial proposal, setting a deadline of 19 September if they wanted to access an initial $20m (£15m).

Thrive Eternal was expected to lead the proposed investor group for FFE.

Thrive is an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner - the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared.

In reference to the 19 September deadline, Uefa added it wanted documents to be retained "relating to the payment structure for Fifa member associations, including the design, modelling, legal basis, approval and communications to member associations".

Uefa asked Infantino to acknowledge receipt of its letter in writing within five business days, to confirm he had "received and understood this notice" and that he has "taken immediate steps to preserve relevant materials as required".

Uefa vice-president Laura McAllister described the prospect of legal action by European football's governing body as "a very clear call for action really for what's been an abysmal governance process leading up to the FFE initiative".

She hopes others will follow in withdrawing their support for Infantino in what "is a big moment in the history of football".

"We cannot keep putting out fires because of unilateral plans," said McAllister.

"I really hope now that we can have a change of leadership next year."

As the pressure grows on Infantino with Serbia and Finland also withdrawing their support, Qatar, Lebanon, Kuwait and Sri Lanka have pledged their support for his Fifa leadership to continue.

Uefa has 55 votes, Africa 54, Asia 46, Concacaf 35, Oceania 11 and Conmebol 10.

The Asian Football Federation (AFC) has said it stands in "solidarity" with Uefa and Concacaf, while Africa, Conmebol and Oceania have not criticised Infantino's plan.

However, the Fifa Council could try to force Infantino to resign through an emergency meeting.

That would be triggered if 19 of the 37 Fifa Council members call for one and the meeting must take place within two weeks.

Uefa has nine members, AFC has seven, Concacaf five, Africa has six, Conmebol five and Oceania three. It is completed by Infantino and secretary general Mattias Grafstrom.

Sports editorWhile members associations withdrawing letters of support appears to add to the pressure on Gianni Infantino, it is effectively underlining the opposition that became clear at the weekend, when they backed Uefa's statement expressing a loss of confidence in the beleaguered Fifa president.

What this - and the threat of legal action - does show is that the revolt against him over the FFE saga is being driven largely by Europe.

The demand that senior Fifa officials do not destroy any evidence relevant to the scrapped plans to sell off stakes in its competitions will be uncomfortable for those named in the letter, and represents a further escalation in the feud between the two organisations.

It remains uncertain whether the threat of legal action - and European member associations withdrawing previous letters of support - is enough for Infantino to consider his position and step down.

But, if not, Uefa will hope it at least helps to secure the 19 votes needed (of 37) to force an emergency meeting of the Fifa Council at which Infantino could face a demand to step down.

A motion to call one will not be submitted until they are certain they have the required numbers, but that could be where this dramatic story is heading next.

The situation is delicately poised. Uefa knows it has to be avoid being perceived as telling the rest of the world what to do, and it is clear that Infantino retains considerable support outside Europe and the Concacaf region.

Opposition from just those two confederations is unlikely to be enough to unseat him, and so efforts are currently being made behind the scenes to convince countries elsewhere to join the rebellion.

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