(FILES) FIFA President Gianni Infantino makes a speech during the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok on May 17, 2024.
The SFV's decision carries weight as Infantino is Swiss, and both FIFA and European football's governing body UEFA are based in Switzerland [File: AFP]
Published On 30 Sep 2026

The Swiss Football Association (SFV) has announced it is withdrawing its support for incumbent Gianni Infantino in next year’s FIFA presidential election.

Numerous leading European national associations have withdrawn their support for Infantino after he caused uproar in July with a proposal to sell off stakes of FIFA competitions – including the World Cup and Club World Cup – to private investors.

The SFV’s decision, announced on Wednesday, carries weight as Infantino is Swiss, and both FIFA and European football’s governing body UEFA are based in Switzerland.

The SFV said that its executive board met on Friday and “decided to withdraw the support it had declared in June 2026 for Gianni Infantino’s candidacy for a further term as FIFA president”.

Infantino’s 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.

SFV president Peter Knabel said Swiss football’s governing body expected FIFA’s leadership to uphold the highest standards of transparency, accountability and institutional responsibility.

“Key questions regarding the background, responsibilities and decision-making processes remain unanswered,” he said.

“As these have not been convincingly clarified, we cannot justify continuing to support Gianni Infantino’s candidacy.”