Football Australia has issued a statement backing pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, joining the Asian Football Confederation in calling for “clear and credible action” to address governance issues within the global football organization.
The Australian federation’s position came one day after a letter coordinated by AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, alongside UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, escalated criticism of Infantino’s leadership. The letter demanded “leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it.” Football Australia’s statement emphasized support for independent processes to examine what occurred, how decisions were made, and to strengthen governance systems going forward, though it did not explicitly call for Infantino’s removal.
The escalating criticism follows Infantino’s proposal late last month for the FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would have partially privatized World Cup operations. Though the proposal was withdrawn following immediate backlash, opposition to Infantino’s leadership has continued to grow. Support for the FIFA president remains fragmented among confederations, with African and South American nations continuing to back him, as does U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated on Truth Social that ousting Infantino would be a “terrible mistake.”
The AFC, which includes 46 FIFA-affiliated member nations, represents a significant bloc in the widening split. Several Asian confederation members, including Qatar, the UAE, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka, had previously issued statements supporting Infantino prior to the recent coordinated criticism.
Football Australia’s measured approach reflects its position within the broader realignment ahead of next year’s FIFA presidential election. Some observers noted the federation’s initial reluctance to join early European criticism, though Australia had benefited from Infantino’s FIFA Forward Enterprise commitments and participated in the new FIFA Series invitational concept developed under his tenure.
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