Dutch FA withdraws support for Gianni Infantino as pressure keep mounting on FIFA president
Gianni Infantino has suffered another major setback after the Dutch football federation withdrew its support and called for sweeping changes to FIFA ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The crisis surrounding FIFA president Gianni Infantino has intensified after the Dutch football federation withdrew its support for his leadership and called for a fundamental overhaul of world football’s governing body.
The Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) said it no longer had confidence in Infantino and wants FIFA to have new leadership from 2027, while also arguing that simply replacing the president would not address deeper problems within the organisation.
The Dutch federation’s intervention adds to growing opposition following the collapse of the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which sought to create a commercial structure around FIFA’s major competitions and attracted strong resistance from football authorities.
UEFA has since pursued legal steps seeking information related to the abandoned project, while several national associations have also moved away from Infantino’s re-election campaign.
The KNVB believes FIFA needs stronger checks and balances, arguing that too much authority has become concentrated around the president and that greater separation is required between the presidency and the administration.
The federation has also proposed hosting an international summit in Amsterdam where FIFA’s 211 member associations and the confederations could discuss the organisation’s future direction.
The Dutch position comes after Wales became the first national association to formally withdraw its backing for Infantino’s re-election, with other federations subsequently taking similar positions.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, remains determined to seek another term, but the growing number of associations questioning his leadership has created an increasingly uncertain path towards the March 2027 election.
The latest Dutch intervention therefore represents more than another withdrawal of political support: it signals a demand for structural change and could further strengthen calls for a different leadership model at FIFA.
