Israel withdraw support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino ahead of election
The Israel Football Association has officially withdrawn its backing for Gianni Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president ahead of the 2027 vote, citing an unprecedented crisis of confidence with the global governing body.
IFA chairman Moshe Zuares confirmed the unanimous board decision in a formal letter to world football’s leaders.
This move aligns the nation with UEFA, which has strongly opposed recent controversial proposals from the current administration.
The 54-year-old Swiss-Italian executive has faced mounting criticism following a highly unpopular and now-scrapped scheme to effectively privatise the World Cup.
UEFA opposition grows
European football’s governing body recently declared a fundamental loss of confidence in the sport’s global leadership.
There are strong indications that UEFA members could unanimously back a rival candidate when the presidential elections take place in three years.
Zuares, who currently sits on the European executive committee, stated the ongoing administrative rift is both profound and substantive.
The Israeli official explained that stakeholders are now compelled to reconsider the strategic path forward for the sport.
We have no choice but to retract our previous letter of support, in the sincere hope that fruitful dialogue among all parties will eventually restore a shared, proper vision and direction for world football. Moshe Zuares
Political tensions persist
The current FIFA boss previously caused controversy by attempting to orchestrate a public handshake between Palestinian and Israeli delegates at a recent global congress.
Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestinian Football Federation, refused to stand alongside his Israeli counterpart Basim Sheikh Suliman during the staged event.
Palestinian officials later criticised the attempted diplomatic gesture, arguing it demonstrated a lack of consideration for their ongoing grievances.
Despite the growing European resistance, several nations including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon have publicly maintained their backing for the incumbent president.