Scottish FA withdraws support for Fifa president Infantino
The Scottish FA confirms it will not vote for Gianni Infantino's re-election as Fifa president amid mounting governance and term limit disputes.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The Scottish FA (SFA) will not vote for Gianni Infantino in the early 2027 Fifa presidential election.
- SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell confirmed the association aligns completely with UEFA's position.
- FairSquare has challenged Infantino's eligibility over a potential 15-year total tenure.
- The backlash follows the abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) commercial rights proposal.
The Scottish Football Association (SFA) has officially withdrawn its backing for Gianni Infantino, announcing it will not support his re-election bid for the Fifa presidency. SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell confirmed to BBC Sport that the Scottish governing body has completely lost confidence in the current leadership.
This development arrives as FairSquare, a sport accountability advocacy group, formally petitioned Fifa's governance, audit and compliance committee. The non-profit requested that Infantino be ruled ineligible to run for another term, citing concerns over term limit violations.
Pressure on Infantino escalated following his controversial and later abandoned plan to establish a new company, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE). The initiative aimed to manage commercial and ticketing rights across all Fifa tournaments, allocating 21% to a private investment firm, which triggered severe backlash and boycott threats from UEFA and multiple confederations.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Speaking during the announcement of Sebastian Pocognoli as the new Scotland head coach, Maxwell stated that the SFA's position has remained firm since the meeting of 55 UEFA member associations. He emphasized that the collective voice of 55 nations carries more weight and that SFA fully agrees with the lack of confidence in Fifa's executive leadership.
The controversy surrounding Infantino's presidency centers heavily on term limit governance and legal exemptions. Fifa statutes traditionally cap a presidency at three four-year terms totaling 12 years. However, Infantino successfully argued in 2022 that his partial 2016-2019 term—inherited after replacing Sepp Blatter—should not count fully, clearing his path to run in 2027. If successful, his tenure could extend to 15 years by 2031, prompting governance critics like FairSquare to question the legal basis and transparency of the exemption granted without congressional voting.
While football associations in England, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland have similarly withdrawn their support, the global football landscape remains deeply divided ahead of the March election. Infantino, who took over in 2016 and secured re-elections in 2019 and 2023, still retains backing from various member associations across Africa, South America, and select nations within Asia and Concacaf.
"The position of the SFA has been clear since the 55 Uefa associations met,"
Ian Maxwell
Maxwell dismissed suggestions that the SFA delayed its public stance because SFA president Mike Mulraney leads the Fifa finance committee. Meanwhile, Fifa has committed to delivering a report on the aborted FFE initiative at the upcoming council meeting in October, though regional confederations continue to demand an independent third-party review.
Source: BBC Sport
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