Football Association of Ireland Withdraws Support for Fifa President Infantino
The Football Association of Ireland has pulled the plug on its backing for under-pressure Fifa president Gianni Infantino, a sharp public break that underlines how fragile his grip on power has become.
The move drops Ireland firmly into the growing European-led revolt. It comes just days after the FA of Wales and then the English FA stepped away from supporting Infantino’s bid for a fourth term, and hours after Uefa escalated its own confrontation with the Fifa president.
Ireland walks away
In a statement following a board meeting, the FAI confirmed it has rescinded the letter of support it sent earlier this year, before the storm that followed the World Cup.
“Following an FAI board meeting, the decision was taken to rescind the letter of support that the Association supplied earlier this year,” it said, adding that it has now written directly to Fifa to set out its reasoning.
The language is polite. The message is not.
The FAI stressed its gratitude for the backing Fifa has given to Irish football, but then pointed straight at the heart of the current crisis: “recent events” that, it said, have raised “significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation”.
For an association that has spent years trying to repair its own reputation after governance scandals, the sting is deliberate. “Considering the governance challenges that the FAI has had to overcome in recent years, the Association feels a particular obligation to advocate for and uphold best practice,” it added.
Infantino under fire
The backlash stems from Infantino’s attempt to sell a stake in Fifa’s commercial operations to a private investment firm, a plan that has now been abandoned but has left deep scars.
On Monday, Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation signed an open letter accusing the Fifa president of breaking trust “through deception”. That phrase has hung over Zurich ever since, turning what should have been a routine coronation into a live political fight.
Infantino’s push for a fourth term now looks anything but straightforward. Each federation stepping away chips at his authority, and the Irish decision adds to the sense of a presidency suddenly on unstable ground.
Northern Ireland backs Uefa line
Across the border, the Irish Football Association has stopped short of formally withdrawing its support, but it has nailed its colours to Uefa’s mast.
“We take our responsibilities as a member association of both Uefa and Fifa seriously,” an IFA spokesperson said. “We support the current Uefa position on the matter and will continue to engage constructively on issues relating to football governance.”
The IFA acknowledged “recent developments and wider concerns within the football community” around Infantino’s leadership and said it is “considering these matters carefully”, while stressing it will work through “the appropriate governance structures and channels”.
For now, Northern Ireland is holding its position. Watching. Waiting. But crucially, not standing alongside Infantino in public.
The split across the Irish Sea now mirrors a wider fracture in the global game. As more associations decide which side they are on, the real question is no longer about a single abandoned commercial deal, but whether Infantino can still command the trust needed to run world football.
