Claudius Schaefer, president of European Leagues, said on August 26 that Gianni Infantino cannot have a future at FIFA and stressed the need for reforms under new leadership. European Leagues represents 53 professional men’s and women’s football leagues across Europe [1, 2, 3, 4].
Schaefer said, “We question his suitability to continue as president. Here in Switzerland, we’ve had a close view of FIFA and it seems that the influence of the president has grown from year to year” [1]. He criticized decisions made by Infantino without meaningful consultation, including the awarding of the inaugural FIFA peace prize to U.S. President Donald Trump in December 2025 without council input. "If you take such a decision, without even informing the council, that, in my view, is a breach of law," said Schaefer [2].
The decision to overturn the ban on U.S. forward Folarin Balogun during the 2026 World Cup came after a call from Donald Trump, further raising concerns about political interference. Schaefer called this a “real scandal” and said such acts “call the integrity of the game into question. That’s why there is no future at FIFA for Infantino. There can’t be” [3].
Several regional governing bodies, including UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF, have pressured Infantino to resign. There are discussions about a potential vote of no confidence. Infantino plans to seek a fourth term as FIFA president in 2027 but faces strong opposition [1, 2, 3, 4].
Schaefer emphasized that reforms of FIFA’s governance are vital and “can only happen with another president” [4]. The call from European Leagues adds to growing pressure on Infantino as FIFA approaches the next presidential election.
