Event
UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC have issued an open letter accusing FIFA president Gianni Infantino of deception and a fundamental breach of trust regarding his recent plans to sell an interest in the World Cup. The confederations stated that Infantino had placed himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority.
3 published stories · fifa · source reliability 0%
The joint statement, issued on Monday, asserts that football leadership is not a possession and calls for unity after Infantino’s conduct regarding commercial rights was described as a fundamental breach of trust.
The three major continental bodies accuse Gianni Infantino of breaking trust through deception and placing himself above the collective, calling for leadership that serves rather than commands the sport.
The joint correspondence, signed by the presidents and general secretaries of Europe, North America and Asia’s governing bodies, centres on the integrity of the game’s leadership and the aborted FIFA Forward plan.
Background
UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC have issued a joint open letter accusing FIFA president Gianni Infantino of deception and a "fundamental breach of trust" regarding recent plans to sell an interest in the World Cup. The correspondence, signed by the presidents and general secretaries of the three confederations, centres on the integrity of leadership and the governance of commercial initiatives, specifically identifying the aborted FIFA Forward plan. While the letter does not explicitly name Infantino, sources indicated to BBC Sport that it should be interpreted as an opportunity for him to resign with dignity. FIFA’s management board had previously met in Morocco to back Infantino, after which he apologised over the process of the rejected commercial rights plan.
UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC have issued a joint open letter accusing FIFA president Gianni Infantino of deception and a "fundamental breach of trust" regarding recent plans to sell an interest in the World Cup. The correspondence, signed by the presidents and general secretaries
Fact cards
Key entities: FIFA, Gianni Infantino, UEFA, CONCACAF, AFC, World Cup.
Who issued the open letter? UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC, signed by their presidents and general secretaries. What is the core accusation against Gianni Infantino? Deception and a fundamental breach of trust regarding plans to sell an interest in the World Cup. Which specific comm
16 years prior to election: Gianni Infantino served at UEFA before being elected FIFA president. 2016: UEFA tightened rules for departing staff to reflect modern organisational standards. Last Wednesday: FIFA’s management board met in Morocco to back Infantino; he subsequently ap
Timeline
Gianni Infantino served at UEFA before being elected FIFA president.
UEFA tightened rules for departing staff to reflect modern organisational standards.
FIFA’s management board met in Morocco to back Infantino; he subsequently apologised over the process of the rejected commercial rights plan.
UEFA stated that the announcement of the departure payment "
The open letter was revealed.
FAQ
UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC, signed by their presidents and general secretaries.
Deception and a fundamental breach of trust regarding plans to sell an interest in the World Cup.
The aborted FIFA Forward plan.
No, but sources indicated it should be interpreted as an opportunity for him to resign with dignity.
They met in Morocco to back Infantino.
No, the letter does not explicitly name him, though sources indicate it should be interpreted as an opportunity for him to resign with dignity.
They have called for a fully independent review of the incident and emphasised that football leadership serves the sport rather than seeking to command it.
Infantino served at UEFA before his 2016 election as FIFA president; there are historical allegations he paid off a former lover, which he has categorically denied.
FIFA issued a statement in response, though the full text is not provided in the source material.