The French Football Federation will formally clarify its position on whether to support Gianni Infantino's bid for a fourth term as FIFA president on September 10, federation president Philippe Diallo announced on Thursday.
Diallo stated that while he personally opposes Infantino remaining in office, he intends to convene the federation's executive committee before France declares its official stance. Infantino is seeking a fourth and final mandate as head of world football in the presidential election scheduled for March 18, 2027.
Executive committee consultation
Speaking to French sports daily L'Equipe on Thursday, August 27, Diallo explained that convening the executive committee would allow the French Football Federation, known as the FFF, to express its position clearly. He emphasized that world football must seize the opportunity presented by the current crisis to launch deep structural reforms.
Diallo added that member federations could no longer tolerate learning about major decisions affecting the sport through the press or having choices imposed without consultation. Although he noted there was no rush given the March 2027 election date, he insisted that the time had come for national associations to take clear positions.
Friction over governance
Diallo made his comments while attending meetings in Monaco alongside executives from UEFA, the governing body of European football, during the draw for the UEFA Champions League. UEFA leadership has been openly hostile toward Infantino, reflecting growing tension between European football officials and FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
The internal debate within French football follows the recent dismissal of Kevin Lamour, the third-highest official at the FFF. Lamour was fired after publicly voicing criticism of Infantino's leadership at FIFA.
Dispute over commercial rights
Infantino faced intense criticism at the end of July after unveiling a plan to sell FIFA commercial rights to private investors, a proposal that included opening the FIFA World Cup to private investment partners. The initiative triggered strong opposition from global football confederations, led by UEFA.
Although the Italian-Swiss FIFA chief subsequently withdrew the proposal, the episode severely strained relations between FIFA and continental governing bodies. UEFA initially threatened to boycott FIFA-organized competitions before deciding to suspend the boycott threat for the current season.
The French Football Federation's executive committee will meet on Thursday, September 10, to decide France's official stance ahead of the FIFA presidential vote in March 2027.
