Switzerland pulls support from Infantino after privatization row

In Geneva, the Swiss Football Federation announced an exhaustive re‑evaluation of the past few months, noting that FIFA president Gianni Infantino has lost the backing of his own country following the controversial attempt to privatise international competitions.

According to Pablo Planas, head of the press office, Infantino is in a sort of Cold War after the proposal to privatise the tournaments was rejected by the majority of confederations, severely damaging his image and almost prompting him to seek temporary asylum in Morocco.

Loss of International Support

That setback has caused Infantino to lose the support of several countries ahead of his re‑election, and Switzerland, his native nation, has expressed the strongest displeasure, describing the situation as an “exhaustive re‑evaluation of the events of the past few months.”

Peter Knäbel, president of the Swiss Federation, stated that FIFA must adhere to the highest standards of transparency, accountability and institutional responsibility, and warned that the organisation is not meeting those principles.

Among the cited reasons is the withdrawal of the sanction imposed on Folarin Bolagun, a United States player, during the World Cup, and reports indicating that Infantino received pressure from Donald Trump and allegedly intervened before the match against Belgium, which raised doubts about the tournament’s integrity.

Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed the controversy by stating: “I have decided to leave Portugal’s camp,” while Fernando Gabarró noted that Jorge Jesus was forced to speak with the striker, emphasising that credibility, transparency and accountability are essential to build trust in FIFA.

In its official statement, the Swiss Federation criticised Infantino’s failed plan to sell commercial rights to private investors, calling it irresponsible and reiterated the need for FIFA to act with full institutional responsibility.