Swiss Football Association withdraws its support for Infantino's FIFA re-election bid

The Swiss Football Association (SFV) has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino's bid for a further term as FIFA president. The SFV announced the decision on Wednesday.

The association's executive body reversed an endorsement it had given in June 2026. Infantino, who is Swiss, is the incumbent and is seeking re-election. The FIFA presidential election is due to take place next year. According to The Guardian, it is scheduled for March.

The SFV said key questions about FIFA's responsibilities and decision-making processes remained unanswered. It said it therefore could not justify continuing to support Infantino's candidacy.

Other European national football associations had already withdrawn their support for Infantino before the SFV's decision. According to The Guardian, these include the associations of England, Wales, France and Serbia. The reports do not give a full count of the associations that have withdrawn support.

Background

In July, a plan associated with Infantino to sell stakes in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, became public. It prompted a backlash, and the plan was quickly shelved. According to Al Jazeera, private investors would have been able to buy stakes in a company created under the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative. Al Jazeera reported that the competitions involved included the Club World Cup.

According to The Guardian, Infantino is 56, was born in Brig, in the Valais canton of southern Switzerland, and has led FIFA since 2016. The Guardian also reported that he has faced calls to resign amid widespread calls for reform of FIFA. Al Jazeera noted that FIFA and UEFA, European football's governing body, are both based in Switzerland.

What is disputed

The two outlets describe the timing of the SFV executive meeting differently. According to Al Jazeera, the SFV said its executive board met on Friday. The Guardian reported that the decision was taken at a meeting "this week". The reports do not give an exact date.

What each side says

• The SFV: In a statement quoted by The Guardian, the association said: "The decision follows a comprehensive reassessment of developments over the past few months." It added: "From the SFV’s perspective, various incidents raise fundamental questions regarding leadership, governance, transparency and decision-making processes within Fifa." The reports do not specify which incidents it meant, beyond the July plan.
• Peter Knabel: Al Jazeera identifies him as SFV president. According to Al Jazeera, he said Swiss football's governing body expects FIFA's leadership to uphold the highest standards of transparency, accountability and institutional responsibility. Al Jazeera quoted him as saying: "Key questions regarding the background, responsibilities and decision-making processes remain unanswered." Al Jazeera attributes the words "As these have not been convincingly clarified, we cannot justify continuing to support Gianni Infantino’s candidacy" to Knabel. The Guardian attributes the same words to the SFV.
• Gianni Infantino: The reports do not include any response from Infantino or FIFA to the SFV's decision. According to The Guardian, Infantino wrote to FIFA member associations this month saying he was open to talks on reform.
• UEFA: According to The Guardian, UEFA has pledged to put forward a rival candidate before the November deadline. The reports do not identify that candidate.

Analysis

The SFV's decision is notable because it comes from Infantino's home association, in the country where FIFA is based. It adds to earlier withdrawals by other European associations. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not show how many associations still back Infantino, so the effect on the election cannot be measured. Several scenarios remain open. UEFA may name a rival before the November deadline, as The Guardian reports it has pledged. Infantino's stated openness to reform talks could shape how other associations respond. Further withdrawals are possible, as is continued support elsewhere. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe how the election will be decided.

Traceability
Sources (2): Al Jazeera · The Guardian (Sport)
Independent origins: 2 · Perspectives covered: middle-east, west-left
Confirmed: 8 · Reported: 9 · Disputed: 1 · Confidence: high
Review: 3 AI reviewers (Claude, GPT-5.6 Sol, Kimi) · 31/33 claims backed by 2+ reviewers with verified evidence · 0 errors · approved
Drafted: 2026-09-30 19:01 UTC

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.