International News: Union of European Football Associations demands Infantino resign or face no-confidence vote

By Zoila Palma:  The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has reportedly issued FIFA President Gianni Infantino an ultimatum to resign or face an emergency no-confidence vote, following growing opposition to his leadership and a controversial proposal to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights.

 It is understood that all 55 UEFA member associations would support efforts to remove Infantino if a vote is held, while UEFA would need the backing of at least 43 members to trigger the process, The Telegraph reports.

The European governing body announced a loss of confidence in FIFA’s leadership after Infantino was forced to abandon plans reportedly valued at £15 billion that would have involved selling 30% of the World Cup’s commercial rights to private investors.

UEFA accused FIFA of pursuing secretive deals that could undermine the interests of the global game and called for a fundamental review of the organization’s leadership and governance.

In a statement, UEFA said the proposed deal was developed through “secret schemes on fast track timescales” and called for those responsible to be held accountable. The organization also argued that FIFA should use its more than $5 billion in reserves to support grassroots football and development across its 211 member associations, rather than selling off valuable commercial assets. The English Football Association backed UEFA, calling for a “full and robust review” of FIFA’s leadership and governance.

The proposed rights sale sparked a growing revolt across world football, with UEFA’s 55 members reportedly voting unanimously to oppose the plan. Concacaf nations also joined the resistance, while the Asian Football Confederation expressed solidarity with UEFA and Concacaf. The opposition reportedly left Infantino unable to secure sufficient support from FIFA’s 211 member associations, while senior FIFA officials also resigned or criticized the plan.

The crisis has intensified political pressure on Infantino, with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham reportedly calling for him to step down, while U.S. President Donald Trump, described as an ally of the FIFA president, said he had not been consulted about the proposed deal.

UEFA has vowed to work with football stakeholders worldwide to rebuild trust in FIFA and develop a new approach to distributing resources.

The post International News: Union of European Football Associations demands Infantino resign or face no-confidence vote appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.