Switzerland’s pull‑back deals a blow to Infantino’s FIFA bid
Switzerland’s football federation has withdrawn its backing for Gianni Infantino’s bid for another FIFA presidency, citing unresolved concerns over leadership, transparency and decision‑making. The Swiss Football Association announced the reversal on 25 September, just three months after endorsing his candidacy in June.
Swiss federation reverses support
The Swiss Football Association’s executive committee voted to withdraw its backing for Gianni Infantino’s FIFA presidency on 25 September. The reversal came just three months after the SFV had endorsed his candidacy in June. The announcement was posted in the News section of the outlet.
The decision is significant because Infantino was born in Switzerland and both FIFA and UEFA are based there. FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok on 17 May 2024, an image captured in an AFP Photo that appeared on the Daily Sabah website. Edited By Kelvin Ndunga in ISTANBUL, the story was filed under the Politics category.
Governance concerns fuel dissent
“Credibility, transparency, accountability and effective statutory bodies are essential to have trust in the governance of international football and in the integrity of FIFA,” the SFV said. It added that those conditions were no longer met. The statement was listed in the Corner, Editorial, PHOTO, JOBS, ABOUT and PRIVACY sections, echoing the War On Terror language used in recent communications.
The federation criticised the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which would have created a commercial subsidiary allowing private investors to take stakes in the World Cup and Club World Cup. The plan, unveiled in July, provoked a swift backlash and was abandoned. The SFV also highlighted the handling of the Folarin Balogun case at this year’s World Cup, noting a red‑card suspension was lifted after a call from U.S. President Donald Trump to Infantino.
SFV President Peter Knäbel said FIFA must uphold the highest standards of transparency and institutional responsibility. He welcomed Infantino’s offer to consult member associations on governance reforms, calling it an important signal. “As these have not been convincingly clarified, we cannot justify continuing to support Gianni Infantino’s candidacy,” Knäbel said.
The Swiss body stressed the move does not end cooperation with FIFA or the wider football community. As the association in the country that hosts FIFA and UEFA headquarters, it said it bears a special responsibility for transparent structures and rules‑based decision‑making. UEFA has taken the lead in calling for new FIFA leadership and will discuss a challenger with its 55 members at a Berlin meeting next week. The article was also tagged under Sports Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis on the Daily Sabah portal.