UEFA in talks with two federations over Gianni Infantino vote of no confidence

UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) are in talks over whether to table a vote of no confidence against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, talkSPORT understands.

Conversations were also had on the matter last week in Salzburg at the UEFA Super Cup, as revealed by talkSPORT.

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Senior figures within each confederation, including UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani, are lobbying federations to support an emergency vote.

Under FIFA’s statutes, an extraordinary congress can be convened if 43 of FIFA’s 211 member associations submit a written request.

UEFA alone, with 55 votes, has the power to trigger a vote of no confidence, but it is viewed as counter-intuitive unless the majority of FIFA members back it.

UEFA (55), Concacaf (35) and the AFC (46) hold 136 of the 211 votes but there is no guarantee all members side against Infantino.

The English, Irish, Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh Football Associations have all already pulled support for Infantino.

Yet Mexico have broken Concacaf ranks in backing the FIFA President. And Infantino is hoping to gain more Concacaf support by attending the ongoing Under-14 Boys Challenge, an event staged by the Caribbean Football Union in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Yet it is really Asia that is widely viewed as the key battleground for both Infantino and any challenger, or in the absence of one the success chance of a vote of no confidence passing.

The AFC wrote a joint letter calling for change along with UEFA and Concacaf. And the standout paragraph within it attacked Infantino in all but name.

“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding – or demanding – power to be held. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it,” the letter read.

“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”

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However, Qatar have since thrown their support behind Infantino. Qatar Football Association President Sheikh Hamid bin Khalifa Al-Thani even wrote his own letter to the AFC Executive Committee, seen by talkSPORT, claiming the AFC bypassed any consultation process.

“What consultation, if any, was undertaken with AFC’s Member Associations before the Statement was issued in their collective name?” Al-Thani asks.

“The AFC Reply does not identify a single Member Association that was consulted, does not describe any meeting, circular, or communication through which such consultation might have occurred, and does not point to any decision of the AFC Executive Committee authorising the Statement.”

The QFA believe the AFC have broken governance protocol arguing the confederation’s statutes don’t allow a blanket position to be taken without speaking to all members.

Infantino also has support in Asia from Bhutan, the Philippines, and the UAE.

And now a key vote will be Saudi Arabia, who have remained silent so far during the crisis sparked by Infantino’s failed plans to privatise FIFA.

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This is due to Saudi Football Federation (SAFF) President Yasser Al Misehal standing down following Saudi Arabia’s World Cup exit, and his replacement not being voted on until August 30.

Multiple Saudi executives, spoken to by talkSPORT, want the federation to remove their support for the FIFA President but it is unclear at this stage which side the country will take.

talkSPORT has learned Infantino hopes to travel to Saudi to meet the new SAFF President in a bid to lobby support. FIFA has been approached for comment.

If Saudi remove their support for Infantino it could create a domino effect with other federations in Asia following suit.

This will encourage AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, who several FIFA insiders believe has aspirations to be FIFA President, but has no aspirations to go head-to-head against Infantino as it stands.

There appears to be consensus from many of Infantino’s critics that it would be better he quits, but given the FIFA President has – to date – vowed to fight on, according to those familiar with his thinking.

A vote of no confidence remains possible between now and November 18.

November 18 is significant because it is the date by which prospective FIFA presidential candidates must commit to standing.

Once that deadline passes, it is viewed as redundant holding a vote of no confidence, since the election itself in March next year would then ultimately serve the same purpose.