‘There can’t be a future for Infantino’ – European Football Chief makes bold demand

Pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino continues to mount after the head of the European Leagues called for a change at the top of world football, saying the governing body can only be reformed under a different president.

In a strongly worded interview with The Athletic, Claudius Schafer, whose organisation represents 53 professional men’s and women’s leagues across Europe, said FIFA’s decision-making has become increasingly centralised under Infantino’s leadership.

His intervention adds to growing criticism from football stakeholders who believe FIFA has drifted away from transparent governance and meaningful consultation with its member organisations.

Schafer argued that FIFA’s leadership structure has become too heavily concentrated around its president, with major decisions increasingly taken without proper engagement with those affected.

“We question his suitability to continue as president. Here in Switzerland, we’ve had a close view of FIFA and it seems that the influence of the president has grown from year to year,” Schafer said.

He added that football’s stakeholders have often been left out of key discussions.

“Major decisions are taken without meaningful consultation with stakeholders who will be affected.”

Schafer also pointed to a series of recent controversies that, in his view, have damaged confidence in FIFA’s governance. Among them was FIFA’s decision to award its inaugural peace prize to former United States President Donald Trump, a move he claimed should have been discussed more broadly within the organisation.

He added, “FIFA is an association under Swiss law and in this association you have rules. The president and the board members have to perform their duties with care. This is a legal matter. If you take such a decision, without even informing the council, that, in my view, is a breach of law.”