The Swiss Football Association (SFV) has announced it is withdrawing its support for incumbent Gianni Infantino in next year’s FIFA presidential election. The decision, announced on Wednesday, was made after the association’s executive board met on Friday. The SFV had previously declared its support for Infantino’s candidacy in June 2026, but has now reversed that position.

The move carries particular weight as Infantino is Swiss, and both FIFA and European football’s governing body UEFA are headquartered in Switzerland. SFV president Peter Knabel stated that Swiss football’s governing body expects FIFA’s leadership to uphold the highest standards of transparency, accountability and institutional responsibility.

In July, Infantino caused uproar with a proposal to sell off stakes of FIFA competitions – including the World Cup and Club World Cup – to private investors. The plan would have allowed private investors to acquire stakes in a company created under the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative. The backlash that followed led to the proposals being quickly shelved.

Numerous leading European national associations have also withdrawn their support for Infantino. According to Knabel, key questions regarding the background, responsibilities and decision-making processes remain unanswered. “As these have not been convincingly clarified, we cannot justify continuing to support Gianni Infantino’s candidacy,” he said.

The loss of support from the Swiss association, along with other European bodies, signals growing international isolation for Infantino, potentially complicating his re-election bid.

Source: www.aljazeera.com