Irish FAs Withdraw Support for Infantino Amid Governance Concerns
Gianni Infantino’s grip on power has taken another jolt, with the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) formally pulling its backing for the embattled Fifa president and the Irish Football Association (IFA) in the north throwing its weight behind Uefa’s hardening stance.
The move from Dublin comes at a volatile moment for world football’s most powerful figure. On Monday, Uefa joined forces with Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation in an open letter that accused Infantino of shattering trust “through deception” over his attempt to sell a stake in Fifa’s commercial arm to a private investment firm. That plan has since been dropped, but the fallout has left his bid for a fourth term in serious trouble.
Dublin walks away
The FAI had previously signalled support for Infantino before the post-World Cup storm erupted. That position has now been dramatically reversed.
“Following an FAI board meeting, the decision was taken to rescind the letter of support that the Association supplied earlier this year,” the governing body confirmed, adding that it has already written to Fifa to set out its reasons.
The statement struck a pointed tone. The FAI acknowledged it is “grateful for the support that Fifa provides to Irish football,” but said “recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation.”
Given its own bruising recent history, the association stressed it could not ignore those issues. “Considering the governance challenges that the FAI has had to overcome in recent years, the Association feels a particular obligation to advocate for and uphold best practice.”
For an organisation still rebuilding its credibility after its own governance crisis, the decision lands with extra weight. It also follows a clear pattern: last week the Welsh FA became the first home nation to withdraw support, with the English FA following soon after. Now the Republic of Ireland has joined that growing list.
Belfast backs Uefa, but stops short
North of the border, the tone is more cautious but the direction is similar.
The Irish Football Association has not formally withdrawn its support for Infantino, yet it has aligned itself with Uefa’s position and acknowledged “wider concerns” across the game.
“We take our responsibilities as a member association of both Uefa and Fifa seriously,” an IFA spokesperson said. “We support the current Uefa position on the matter and will continue to engage constructively on issues relating to football governance.”
The message was careful, but clear enough. The IFA underlined it is “aware of the recent developments and wider concerns within the football community,” and is “considering these matters carefully” while working “through the appropriate governance structures and channels.”
For now, Belfast is holding its final judgment. “At this stage, we have no further comment,” the statement concluded.
The silence, though, speaks loudly. As one federation after another edges away, how long can Infantino keep counting his votes with any real confidence?
