FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been under fire from former Portugal captain and football great Luis Figo, who has openly demanded his resignation.
Figo further asserted that important players in international football, such as senior FIFA officials, close advisors, and other people who have devoted their careers to the game, no longer trust the FIFA president.
He said, even a FIFA Peace Prize winner seems to have distanced themselves from Infantino, underscoring what he called rising discontent with the FIFA president's leadership.
Figo emphasized that although it might be too late for Infantino to repair his reputation, football itself can still be safeguarded by new leadership. He ought to leave right now.
The comments contribute to the growing criticism of FIFA's leadership under Infantino from certain members of the football community. FIFA has not yet made a public response to Figo's most recent remarks, though.
Accusations:
Instead of a documented criminal conviction, the claims against him are primarily related to leadership, ethics, and governance. The principal accusations consist of:
The unsuccessful FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal: According to critics, Infantino tried to sell private investors a portion of the FIFA World Cup's commercial rights. The concept was opposed by UEFA and numerous football associations, who claimed it lacked transparency and might have enriched a select few at the detriment of the game. After receiving a lot of negative feedback, the initiative was eventually dropped.
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Misleading and self-serving behavior: Infantino is accused by Luis Figo and other detractors of lying, misleading stakeholders, and prioritizing his own interests over those of football. These are accusations made by detractors, not court decisions.
Concerns about political meddling: Infantino has also come under fire for his connections to political figures, especially in light of the scandal over how a player's suspension was handled during the 2026 World Cup. Despite receiving complaints, the International Olympic Committee refused to look into the incident, claiming it was outside of its purview.
Therefore, rather than accusing Infantino of a crime that has been proven in court, Figo is expressing a political and moral opinion when he claims that he has "lied" or "deceived."
Although Infantino has not been found guilty of a crime, he is the target of harsh criticism and requests to step down.