Swiss FA withdraws backing for Infantino's FIFA re-election bid

The Swiss Football Association has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino's re-election as FIFA president, citing governance concerns and a lack of transparency.

The Swiss Football Association (SFV) has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino's candidacy in the upcoming FIFA presidential election. The move sees the governing body from Infantino's home country publicly revoke its backing, citing persistent concerns over leadership and transparency at world football's governing body.

The SFV's executive committee had reaffirmed its support for Infantino as recently as June this year. The association now states that the necessary conditions for trust in FIFA's leadership are no longer met. "Switzerland’s football association expects the highest standards of transparency, accountability and institutional responsibility from FIFA’s leadership," said SFV President Peter Knäbel.

Concerns Over Decision-Making

The association pointed to specific concerns about decision-making mechanisms and political influence. It cited the cancellation of a suspension for US forward Folarin Balogun following the last World Cup as an example. That decision came after a phone call between then-US President Donald Trump and Infantino, the SFV stated. Such incidents undermine trust in FIFA's integrity. These conditions were "essential to have trust in the governance of international football and in the integrity of FIFA," the federation said.

The controversial "FIFA Forward Enterprise" initiative added to the concerns. Infantino's plan envisaged creating a commercial subsidiary to stage major tournaments like the World Cup, with private investors allowed to buy stakes. After media reports in late July and a global backlash, the proposal was shelved within days. For the SFV, this was another sign of opaque processes.

Election Race and Challenger

Infantino, who had so far been the only candidate for the election on March 18 in Rabat, thus loses the support of his own country. UEFA, whose headquarters like FIFA's are in Switzerland, is leading the opposition against him. The European body is set to meet with its 55 member federations next week in Berlin to work toward finding a challenger before the November 18 nomination deadline. Infantino retains support from Saudi Arabia, host of the 2034 World Cup, as well as the African and South American confederations.

For the Switzerland national team, currently on a strong run of four consecutive wins, the decision has no direct sporting impact. The team's last result was a 3-0 victory over North Macedonia on October 6, with goals from Fabian Rieder, Johan Manzambi and Dan Ndoye. Their next fixture is an away match against Slovenia on November 13. The current form and squad provide a solid foundation for upcoming challenges, irrespective of the leadership debates at FIFA.