Norway calls for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign amid growing governance crisis

The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) has called for the immediate resignation of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, saying it has lost confidence in his leadership following the collapse of a controversial proposal to sell stakes in FIFA’s commercial operations to private investors.

The decision was announced on Friday by NFF President Lise Klaveness after a board meeting in Oslo, making Norway the first national football association to publicly demand Infantino’s resignation.

Klaveness said the federation no longer believes Infantino has the institutional credibility needed to lead world football.

“We decided that there is no trust in Infantino now,” she said. “The trust is now gone for us, and there is no way back for Gianni Infantino. We are left in a very polarized cooperation globally, and chaos. We will ask him to resign immediately so that the global football community can look ahead.”

The NFF said it would formally notify FIFA of its position by sending a letter to the governing body’s headquarters in Zurich.

The latest controversy stems from FIFA’s now-withdrawn proposal to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a commercial subsidiary that would have managed revenue-generating assets such as broadcasting rights, sponsorships, ticketing and the FIFA World Cup. Under the proposal, FIFA planned to sell a minority stake in the venture to private investors while retaining majority control. The plan drew widespread criticism from football associations and governing bodies, prompting FIFA to abandon the proposal after mounting opposition.

The proposal deepened tensions between FIFA and several European football associations, many of which argued that commercial interests should not outweigh transparency and accountability in the governance of the sport. UEFA has also maintained pressure on FIFA over governance reforms following the controversy.

Infantino, who has served as FIFA president since 2016, is expected to seek another term when the organisation holds its presidential election in March 2027. While no challenger has formally declared a candidacy, Norway’s decision adds to growing scrutiny of his leadership and could encourage other national associations to reconsider their support ahead of the vote.

Despite the criticism from Norway and some European federations, Infantino continues to retain support from several football associations in other regions, leaving the outcome of the leadership contest uncertain as divisions within world football continue to widen.