Football Australia has added its voice to mounting international pressure on Fifa president Gianni Infantino, demanding a “clear and credible response” to the turmoil affecting the global game.
However, the organisation did not directly seek Infantino’s resignation. In a three-paragraph statement released on Tuesday, it supported the Asian Football Confederation shortly after that body issued stronger criticism of the Fifa president.
A spokesperson said Football Australia endorsed the confederation’s view that recent developments required decisive and trustworthy measures to improve governance, openness and accountability within Fifa.
The organisation said its priority was an open and suitably independent investigation into what happened and why. It also called for any weaknesses in governance, communication and decision-making to be identified, with lessons applied and safeguards strengthened to prevent similar situations in the future.
Football Australia added that it would remain actively and constructively involved through the AFC and in cooperation with other member associations as the process continued.
The statement followed a letter signed by AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, which urged Fifa to provide leadership focused on serving football rather than controlling it.
The letter, also signed by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, intensified opposition to Infantino’s management of world football after he introduced the Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal late last month.
The plan, which would have transferred part of the World Cup into private control, was quickly abandoned following widespread criticism. Nevertheless, its withdrawal has not stopped dissatisfaction with Fifa’s leadership from increasing.
Despite the heightened opposition, Infantino continues to receive backing from several African and South American countries, as well as Donald Trump. The US president wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday that removing Infantino from office would be a “terrible mistake”.
Declining support within the AFC, whose membership includes 46 Fifa-affiliated associations, could threaten Infantino’s decade in charge. An expanding alliance across North America, Europe and Asia is pushing for reform ahead of next year’s presidential election.
The confederations remain divided, with AFC members Qatar, the UAE, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bhutan and Sri Lanka having declared their support for Infantino before Sheikh Salman issued his latest statement.
Football Australia’s position provides greater clarity about its relationship with Infantino, although the organisation remains a relatively small participant in the campaign opposing him. The financially troubled governing body could have gained from the extra funding promised through the Fifa Forward Enterprise, while the Socceroos also competed this year in the Fifa Series, an invitational initiative created during Infantino’s presidency.
Football Australia’s initial hesitation to support early European objections prompted concern among sections of the domestic football community. Some may remain dissatisfied because the organisation has largely followed the AFC’s direction: first welcoming the withdrawal of the disputed plan and later supporting Sheikh Salman’s position, rather than taking a prominent role in calls for reform.
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