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Gianni Infantino remains under pressure. Alamy Stock Photo
Football
Dutch football body says Infantino must go by 2027 and calls for summit on Fifa's future
In a letter to Uefa’s president, the KNVB said Fifa needs new leadership but “a new President alone is not enough”.
THE DUTCH FOOTBALL Association (KNVB) has said it “no longer has confidence” in Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s leadership and the way the organisation is governed “must change”.
It also proposed hosting a summit on the future of football’s world governing body which does not involve Infantino.
The 56-year-old’s position remains in doubt over his now shelved Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan to bring private investment into Fifa events, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
His botched proposal has resulted in a steady loss of support.
A number of football federations have stated they have lost confidence in his leadership, with European football’s governing body Uefa now preparing to bring legal action against him, accusing him of “criminal mismanagement”.
Infantino, who was elected in 2016 after Sepp Blatter stood down, had looked set to be re-elected unopposed to a fourth and final term in Rabat next March as he basked in the afterglow of a highly successful World Cup.
Anyone wishing to challenge him – CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is seen as the likeliest to put his name forward – has to do so by 18 November.
In a letter to Uefa president Aleksander Čeferin, the KNVB said Fifa needs new leadership from 2027 onwards, but “a new President alone is not enough”.
‘Critical voices’
“We see too much power concentrated around the FIFA President and insufficient separation between the President and the FIFA administration,” it said.
“The process surrounding the now-withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal was a turning point for us.
Withdrawing the proposal was necessary, but it does not restore the trust that has been lost.
It insisted its proposal for change “should not be a European plan for the rest of the world”.
𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗔. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.
— KNVB (@KNVB) August 30, 2026
Lees meer over ons statement via https://t.co/lmbsFsSEnE. pic.twitter.com/2c8MugKJkk
“We want to develop this new direction together with FIFA’s 211 Member Associations and the confederations from all parts of the world,” it said.
The KNVB listed three priorities: Good governance for a better balance of power, putting football’s social power at the heart of Fifa and investing more in football worldwide.
One of the main accusations aimed at Infantino has been a lack of transparency – contradicting what he had promised when first elected – and taking decisions unilaterally or with just a few of his inner circle involved.
Such was the case with the FFE when, according to The New York Times, five Fifa senior directors were apprised of the proposal at a meeting in a hotel in New York on the eve of the World Cup final in the US last month.
“FIFA should not depend on one individual. The President, FIFA Council, Congress and Secretary-General each have their own role and responsibility,” said the KNVB.
“The President represents and unites. The Council governs and supervises. Congress decides. The Secretary-General leads the organisation.
“This requires greater transparency, independent oversight and room for critical voices.”
Summit on Fifa’s future
To this end the KNVB said it would like all these matters to be discussed by “football associations and confederations”.
“We therefore propose an International Summit on the Future of FIFA,” it said.
“The KNVB is willing to host this summit in Amsterdam, a city with a special place in FIFA’s history.
“The 2027 presidential election should not only be about who leads FIFA.
“First, we need to determine what kind of FIFA we want. Then we can identify the leadership needed to deliver that change.”
When contacted, Uefa did not want to comment regarding the letter.
“We would prefer not to comment on correspondence that was intended to be private,” it said.
“We can only add that we have a long-standing, productive working relationship with KNVB, which we greatly appreciate.”
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