SFA Joins England and Wales in Withdrawing Gianni Infantino Support

The Scottish Football Association officially withdrew backing for FIFA President Gianni Infantino on August 17, citing a lack of transparency regarding World Cup private investment plans.

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) officially withdrew its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Monday, August 17, 2026. This decision, announced by chief executive Ian Maxwell at 11:24 AM ET, follows similar actions by the football associations of England, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland. The governing bodies have rescinded letters previously stating their intent to back Infantino for reelection at the next FIFA Congress. The SFA cited a "lack of transparency" regarding a proposal to sell stakes in a World Cup company to private investors as the primary driver for the move.

Ian Maxwell confirmed the SFA will not vote for Infantino, aligning the organization with the current UEFA position. Maxwell criticized the visibility of administrators, stating they should not be near cameras as frequently as has been observed. He noted that despite the most successful and well-supported World Cup in recent history, the focus has shifted to off-the-field incidents. The chief executive highlighted a breakdown in governance and a failure to engage with member associations, asserting that every member should have a say in the running of the game rather than individuals making unilateral decisions.

Governance Concerns and Private Investment Plans

The withdrawal of support is rooted in Infantino’s plan to involve private investors in a World Cup entity. SFA President Mike Mulraney currently serves as the chair of FIFA’s finance committee, placing the Scottish leadership at the center of the organization's fiscal oversight. Last week, three confederation presidents published an open letter accusing Infantino of "deception" regarding the private investor scheme. The Press Association reported that the authors intended to provide Infantino with an opportunity to resign and exit his post with dignity.

Opponents are currently exploring the option of identifying a challenger to stand against Infantino at next year's Congress. Meanwhile, the advocacy group FairSquare has taken a different legal route, writing to FIFA to question Infantino’s eligibility to stand for reelection at all. This challenge centers on Article 33.2 of the FIFA Statutes, which establishes a maximum three-term limit. FairSquare, supported by former FIFA governance committee chair Miguel Maduro, argues that a 2027 election would constitute a fourth term of office.

Term Limit Disputes and Eligibility Reviews

The dispute over Infantino's tenure dates back to a FIFA news release issued on the eve of the 2022 World Cup final. That announcement stated the FIFA Council and the governance, audit and compliance committee (GACC) agreed that Infantino’s initial period in office between 2016 and 2019 did not count toward the 12-year limit. Infantino originally took office at an Extraordinary Congress following the departure of Sepp Blatter. Maduro contends the objective of the statute was clearly to prevent presidents from matching the long tenures of Blatter or Joao Havelange.

FairSquare’s letter, which was first reported by The Athletic, points out that the GACC advice prompting the 2022 announcement has never been made public. This correspondence has been submitted to FIFA’s review committee, a sub-committee of the GACC empowered to rule on presidential candidate eligibility. Maduro expressed hope that committee members would reject what he termed a "charade" and urged opposing football associations to make the alleged ineligibility a central point of their platform.

Neutrality and External Pressure

Further pressure on FIFA leadership has emerged through social media activity linked to the GACC’s current deputy chair, professor Chris Mihm. An account appearing to belong to Mihm has reposted FairSquare content on the site Bluesky, calling for a "reboot" of FIFA. These posts criticized Infantino for alleged breaches of FIFA rules regarding political neutrality, specifically citing his dealings with United States President Donald Trump. FIFA has been approached for comment regarding the FairSquare letter and the ongoing challenges to Infantino's leadership status.