TA: If Infantino stays in office, it will become more difficult for him to push for change.

According to The TA, Gianni Infantino's plan to sell FIFA shares to private investors (including Jared Kushner) has sparked strong opposition, putting his presidency in jeopardy.

Gianni Infantino had planned to announce the plan at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, on the eve of the World Cup final. The previous night, he shared the stage with the former US president at Trump Tower, calling the 2026 World Cup "the greatest human, social, and cultural event ever witnessed." In front of billionaires, members of the Trump family, and FIFA executives, Infantino's control over football appeared unshakeable. He posted on social media that he had secured pledges of support for his 2027 re-election from over 200 of the 211 member associations, with the African, Asian, and South American football federations all unanimously supporting him.

Despite scandals during the World Cup, including visa denials, Trump's interference, and investigations into FIFA's ticketing practices in multiple states, the tournament generated $15 billion in revenue, which quelled those uneasy about Infantino's leadership. He was so confident that he didn't hold the usual closing press conference after the tournament. Last Sunday, he also lashed out on social media at scrutiny and criticism of his leadership, accusing critics of "spreading hatred" and suggesting they "meditate, pray, or watch a football match."

However, just a week later, Infantino's rule was already precarious. The speed of his downfall was shocking. His announcement on Friday of the termination of the "FIFA Long Term Enterprise" plan failed to quell his fiercest criticism. UEFA accused him of "dirty deals" and demanded his resignation, stating that the FIFA leadership had "lost the trust not only of UEFA but also of many other members of the football family." CONCACAF followed suit, claiming that the FIFA leadership "no longer puts football first" and calling for "a complete purge of the president."

According to multiple anonymous sources, current FIFA Vice President and CONCACAF President Montagliani is seriously considering challenging Gianni Infantino for the presidency. Sources close to Montagliani declined to comment on his intentions, saying he is focused "around the clock" on CONCACAF's crisis response. Nominations must be finalized by November for the spring elections. Other candidates are also expected. According to UEFA sources, any new leader to replace Infantino is increasingly likely to come from outside Europe and have UEFA's support, which is willing to unite around a "unity candidate."

On Saturday, Infantino's allies and rivals emerged. He secured the support of the football federations of Qatar and Morocco, two countries he had carefully cultivated. Qatar hosted the 2022 World Cup, while Morocco is bidding to host the 2030 World Cup final. Lebanon also expressed its support on Saturday night.

However, FIFA politics is a numbers game. The 96 member associations of CONCACAF and UEFA combined do not constitute a majority. If Infantino is to be overthrown, these associations need to remain united and garner support from member states in Africa, South America, and even Asia and Oceania—regions where Infantino has a stronger base of support.

In the coming days or weeks, we will see whether Infantino intends to wage a protracted struggle. With pressure mounting in recent days, there are no internal signs that he is considering resignation. Instead, he is discussing how to extricate himself from the secret plans while retaining his chairmanship. But he is losing public trust.

FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamoll told the Associated Press that employees were "deceived" by Gianni Infantino; he said he could sleep better after speaking out about the matter, even if it cost him his job. "This is a one-man project," Lamoll said. "It's time for the political leaders in football to ask themselves and make the right decisions."

Former UEFA executive Sergio Ramour, highly respected by his European counterparts, did not want him to resign, as they wanted to retain this voice of reason in their eyes. Gianni Infantino's advisor and former US Soccer Federation president, Robert Cordeiro, resigned on Friday, condemning the proposed move as "a terrible deal." While Cordeiro's departure was accompanied by a sharply worded statement, its significance may not be as immediately apparent. His primary role was to help ensure the smooth running of the North American World Cup and to liaise with the White House; initially, he didn't even take a salary for his role at FIFA. A veteran investment banker, he later agreed to a $200,000 annual salary, which his representatives said was donated to a charitable foundation. Like many within the FIFA system, Cordeiro stood by Infantino during some of his most controversial decisions, most notably the exploitative ticketing strategies for the World Cup and Infantino's awarding of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to Trump without informing his deputies and the FIFA Council, ultimately without any repercussions.

Relations between Gianni Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Ivan Grafström have deteriorated, with sources inside and outside FIFA saying the Swede was not involved in formulating the share sale plan and is unhappy about being excluded from discussions. Over the past year, he has become increasingly critical of Infantino's decisions, with several FIFA executives stating they cannot understand why the FIFA president would not share such important ideas with his secretary general. A FIFA spokesperson responded, "FIFA does not comment on speculation regarding internal relationships."

If Infantino manages to retain his position, his ability to push for change or realize his ambitions will be hampered. Just two weeks ago, he publicly joked with Trump about expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, a concept proposed by CONMEBOL and increasingly supported by Infantino. This idea, previously opposed by UEFA and CONCACAF, will now be even more difficult to implement. He also faces challenges from European clubs, who are furious about the potential sale of some FIFA tournament revenues, including the Club World Cup, to outside investors.

The funding FIFA will provide for the organization, participation fees, and prize money of the 2029 Club World Cup remains uncertain—the 2025 Club World Cup was only secured after DAZN paid $1 billion for broadcasting rights, and a few months later, a company owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund acquired a stake in the broadcaster. Meanwhile, sources close to the discussions say that FIFA and major European clubs have not yet reached any agreements regarding participation in future tournaments.