If Gianni Infantino thought FIFA’s apologetic statement on Wednesday would quell calls for him to resign, then he would have been firmly mistaken.
Just a day after senior officials threw their support behind the FIFA president following a crisis meeting in Morocco, Infantino is still facing a firestorm of criticism and a potential boycott from European soccer’s governing body, UEFA.
After the meeting in Rabat with senior officials, FIFA released a statement acknowledging that mistakes had been made and apologising for the manner in which the controversial FFE proposal – to sell off commercial and operational rights to the World Cup – was sprung on its members.
But even though that proposal has now been scrapped, many in the game are still calling for Infantino to stand down.
UEFA still promising a boycott
Last week, UEFA led the backlash with its 55 member federations agreeing to boycott all FIFA events and competitions while the proposal was active.
It was then the first regional governing body to react to FIFA’s latest attempt to move on from such a damaging debacle.
“UEFA’s associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non-participation in FIFA competitions,” it said in a statement Thursday.
“First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.
“These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency. That position holds.”
That position heaps even more pressure on FIFA.
Not only does UEFA comprise of some of the biggest teams and players on the planet, but it also includes Poland, which is set to host the Under-20 Women’s World Cup beginning on September 5.
Given UEFA is standing by its boycott, it’s not yet clear whether FIFA will need to find a new host at late notice – as well as lose many key nations participating.
CNN has reached out to FIFA for comment on next month’s tournament. UEFA declined to comment further beyond the initial statement on Thursday.
Widespread criticism
But it’s not only UEFA that has brushed FIFA’s apology aside.
FIFPRO, the global representative organization for professional players, has also urged further reforms in FIFA.
“The withdrawal of FFE prevented an irreversible decision. It did not restore the confidence that made such a proposal possible in the first place,” it said in a statement Thursday, calling Infantino’s now-scrapped plan a “profound abuse of presidential power.”
“That confidence has now been fundamentally broken. It cannot be rebuilt through carefully drafted statements, internal reviews or promises to improve processes. Nor can it be restored simply by announcing governance and structural reforms that should always have existed.”
CONMEBOL, the governing body of football in South America, also weighed in on Thursday and was more lenient on Infantino and FIFA.
In a statement, it welcomed FIFA’s decision to withdraw its controversial plan but said it would not be backing an extraordinary congress to vote on the FIFA president’s future.
Instead, it’s said it would follow the current timeline for the presidential election, which is set for early next year.
“The CONMEBOL Council calls for preserving the unity of the football family, acting with institutional responsibility, strengthening dialogue and fully respecting the mechanisms of governance,” it said in a statement.
“Because, above all differences, FOOTBALL COMES FIRST.”
As it stands, anyone who wants to run against Infantino in the next election must submit an application before November 18.
But given the rising water around Infantino’s current leadership, it’s not clear whether he’ll even make it that far.
