French federation withdraws Infantino backing and calls for FIFA reform

The French Football Federation has withdrawn its support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino and called for a far-reaching review of how world football's governing body is run. The decision, announced Thursday, followed the collapse of Infantino's proposal to sell private-investor stakes in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, according to BBC Sport.

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France joins England, Italy, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland in withdrawing support for Infantino. The FFF had backed him in June, before the investment proposal became public. Its reversal adds another prominent national association to the group challenging his leadership ahead of FIFA's presidential election in March, when Infantino is due to seek a fourth term.

The investment plan prompted opposition across international football. BBC Sport reported that UEFA threatened to boycott all FIFA competitions, while UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf called for Infantino to leave his post. He continues to have the backing of South American confederation Conmebol and the Confederation of African Football.

Infantino abandoned the proposal, but the French federation said that did not settle its concerns about FIFA governance. FFF president Philippe Diallo argued that a project with major consequences for football required fuller information, extensive consultation and a transparent decision-making process. The federation's position is that FIFA's current governance falls short of the standards expected in the sport.

The FFF now intends to consult confederations, national associations, players, supporters and governance specialists. It said that process should produce proposals aimed at restoring confidence, improving transparency and protecting the independence and conduct of FIFA. France's federation also emphasized its status as a founding FIFA member as it set out its intention to participate in the reform debate.

The split leaves the presidential contest with sharply divided institutional support. Several European associations and three regional governing bodies have publicly opposed Infantino, while two other major confederations remain behind him. FIFA has confirmed his candidacy, and the French initiative now shifts attention from the abandoned investment plan to the broader rules, consultation practices and oversight surrounding the organization.