Dublin: The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) announced Thursday that it had withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino's re-election as FIFA president. The governing body for football in the Republic of Ireland stated that its board had decided to rescind a letter of endorsement for Infantino that it submitted earlier this year.

According to Anadolu Agency, following an FAI Board Meeting, the decision was taken to rescind the letter of support that the Association supplied earlier this year. The FAI has since communicated its reasoning to FIFA. The Association expressed gratitude for the support FIFA provides to Irish football but highlighted significant concerns regarding governance, transparency, and a lack of meaningful consultation as reasons for its decision.

The FAI emphasized its own recent governance challenges, stating that these issues gave it a particular obligation to advocate for and uphold best practices. Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, the Irish Football Association (IFA) has expressed support for UEFA's position but has not formally withdrawn its endorsement of Infantino. An IFA spokesperson noted the seriousness with which they take their responsibilities as a member association of both UEFA and FIFA and affirmed their intent to continue constructive engagement on football governance issues.

Infantino faces growing criticism over his plans to introduce private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, despite abandoning the proposal. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) have accused FIFA of deception and a fundamental breach of trust regarding the handling of the plan. Infantino, reportedly seeking re-election in March 2027, continues to receive support from several national federations, including those of Argentina and Mexico, as well as the Confederation of African Football (CAF).