The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has withdrawn its backing for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, while the Irish Football Association (IFA) says it supports UEFA’s position as pressure continues to mount on world football’s governing body.
The move follows Monday’s joint statement from UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation, which accused Infantino of betraying the trust of member associations over the failed proposal to sell a stake in FIFA’s commercial operations to private investors.
The plan has since been abandoned but has sparked a growing backlash, placing Infantino’s hopes of securing a fourth term as FIFA president under serious threat.
The FAI had previously supported Infantino’s re-election but confirmed that stance has now changed following a board meeting.
In a statement, the governing body said it had informed FIFA of its decision.
“Following an FAI board meeting, the decision was taken to rescind the letter of support that the Association supplied earlier this year,” it said.
“The Association is grateful for the support FIFA provides to Irish football, but recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation.
“Given the governance issues the FAI itself has worked hard to overcome in recent years, we believe it is important to uphold the highest standards of accountability and best practice.”
Ireland follows Wales and England
The Welsh FA was the first of the Home Nations to withdraw its support for Infantino, with the English FA following shortly afterwards.
The IFA has stopped short of formally withdrawing its backing but has aligned itself with UEFA’s position.
“We take our responsibilities as a member association of both UEFA and FIFA seriously,” an IFA spokesperson said.
“We support UEFA’s current position on this matter and will continue to engage constructively on issues relating to football governance.
“We are aware of the recent developments and the wider concerns being expressed across the game. We are considering those issues carefully and will continue to work through the appropriate governance channels.”
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