Gianni Infantino could face leadership challenge as Fifa Council members rebel

Gianni Infantino is facing a rebellion from members of the Fifa Council who are attempting to force an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) that could develop into a full blown leadership challenge.

The Guardian has learned that moves to call an EGM were already under way before the emergence of Infantino’s abortive plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup, with council members demanding an independent review into the unprecedented decision to lift Folarin Balogun’s suspension during the World Cup, which involved multiple phone calls from Donald Trump.

Fifa Council is the world governing body’s main decision-making forum composed of 28 representatives of the six confederations, eight vice presidents and Infantino. Under Fifa rules a motion from 50% or 19 of the 37 council members can trigger an EGM.

It is understood that the rebels had already reached double figures before it emerged that Infantino had secretly proposed to sell 20% of a new World Cup operating company to Thrive Capital, an investment company founded by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

The unhappy council members had been planning on calling for Infantino to resign if he refused to sanction an independent review of the Balogun affair, which led to the Norwegian FA filing an official complaint to the International Olympic Committee alleging Fifa had breached rules on political neutrality by bowing to pressure from Trump.

Fifa has insisted all along that it followed due process with the decision taken independently by its ethics committee, but has yet to publish a written report on the hearing.

The rebels are likely to have been emboldened by Infantino’s U-turn over the World Cup sell-off debacle, with the plan abandoned in a statement from Fifa in the early hours of Saturday morning after Uefa, North American confederation Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation denounced it.

Uefa and Concacaf both issued further statements condemning Infantino and calling for a thorough review of Fifa’s governance yesterday, but it is unclear if they have sufficient support from the rest of the world to oust him.

The rebels are likely to have been emboldened by Infantino’s U-turn over the World Cup sell-off debacle. Photograph: Claudio Thoma/EPA

The Confederation of African Football and South American Conmebol remain fully behind Infantino, while the Qatar Football Association issued a statement yesterday backing him to stay as president.

Of the 37 council members 14 are from Europe and North America so support from Asia will be required to put real pressure on Infantino.

Fifa Council is not due to meet until November with the rebels attempting to move quickly to force an EGM, where Infantino would be asked to explain himself. A refusal to commission an external review into Balogun would lead to more active attempts to oust Infantino, with alternative presidential candidates already being sounded out.

Qatar’s stance has definitely ruled out a presidential bid from Paris Saint-Germain president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and much will depend on whether Victor Montagliani, the Canadian who is president of Concacaf, has the appetite to take on Infantino. A campaign from AFC president Sheikh Salman, who lost narrowly to Infantino in the 2016 Fifa election, would be difficult without the support of his own confederation.

Infantino has already secured more than 200 letters of support endorsing his re-election campaign, but they can be withdrawn and the deadline for other candidates to announce an intention to stand is not until 18 November.

Another potential vehicle for removing Infantino would be an emergency Fifa Congress to trigger a vote of no confidence in the president, which can be called if letters are submitted by 43 associations.