French Football Federation withdraws support for Infantino's FIFA re-election bid

France has pulled its backing for Gianni Infantino's bid to remain FIFA president, dealing another blow to his re-election campaign ahead of next year's vote.

French Football Federation (FFF) president Philippe Diallo announced the decision on Thursday, saying it was reached unanimously by the federation's executive committee. He didn't mince words about why.

"The trust placed in the FIFA president has been broken," Diallo told reporters. "The way in which we envisage the running of world football no longer corresponds with the way it is being conducted."

Diallo stated that France had initially supported Infantino's candidacy in June, when he was the only declared contender for the role. But the landscape has shifted dramatically since then.

At the center of the fallout is Infantino's now-abandoned proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in FIFA's competitions—including the World Cup itself—to private investors. The plan collapsed in July after fierce pushback from football's regional confederations, who felt blindsided by how it was handled.

Diallo didn't hold back on that point either, saying the proposal surfaced without proper consultation or transparency toward member federations, raising deeper questions about how FIFA is being governed.

"The conditions for our support for his candidacy were no longer there," he said.

The FFF joins a growing list of European federations turning their backs on Infantino, following similar moves by England's FA and Italy's FIGC in the wake of the failed stake-sale plan.

The pressure isn't limited to individual countries. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF have all publicly called for change at FIFA's top level and are now on the hunt for a credible challenger to take Infantino on before voting takes place in March.

Diallo framed France's stance as part of that wider push but was quick to add that opposition alone won't be enough.

"It is not enough simply to criticize if you want things to move forward. You also have to make proposals," he said, adding that UEFA will need to settle on a platform for FIFA's next leadership cycle and eventually rally behind a single candidate.

"We will need to be ready by then to put forward a candidacy capable of winning the FIFA presidency," Diallo said.

Despite the mounting defections in Europe, Infantino hasn't lost everywhere. He still holds the support of South America's CONMEBOL—and notably, Africa's CAF, which has yet to join the wave of confederations distancing themselves from his leadership. That African backing could prove decisive if the race tightens, given CAF's bloc of votes across the continent.

FIFA's presidential election is set for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco. Candidates have until November 18 to formally declare, meaning the next few months will likely bring more federations either falling in line behind Infantino or throwing support behind a rival contender—if UEFA and its allies can agree on one in time.