Ankara: The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced Wednesday that it would no longer support FIFA President Gianni Infantino's potential bid for reelection next March. The federation emphasized its desire to express its position clearly and cited Infantino's recent initiatives related to governance and the development of international competitions.

According to Anadolu Agency, the FIGC's decision aligns with a broader movement within European football circles. FIGC President Giovanni Malago highlighted the federation's commitment to working with UEFA and other European bodies to foster a vision of soccer based on merit, solidarity, sustainability, and fan centrality. Malago underscored the importance of dialogue and shared responsibility in promoting and defending soccer's foundational principles.

Infantino's leadership has been under scrutiny since the introduction of the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which involved selling stakes in a company managing commercial rights to the World Cup and other competitions to private investors. Although the proposal was withdrawn after facing opposition, concerns about Infantino's leadership persist among national and continental associations.

UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and CONCACAF collectively accused Infantino of breaking trust and have called for an independent review of the abandoned proposal. Several national federations, including those of England, Wales, and Ireland, have also retracted their support for Infantino's reelection.

Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, is reportedly planning to seek reelection at the FIFA Congress in Morocco next March.