The fallout from FIFA's abandoned plan to sell World Cup stakes has escalated into a full-blown governance crisis, with European football's governing body openly declaring it has lost faith in Gianni Infantino's leadership. UEFA's blistering statement, issued after the FIFA president scrapped his proposal, has transformed a policy reversal into a direct challenge to his authority, raising questions about his future ahead of the March elections. Main Developments UEFA's executive committee voted on Thursday to threaten a boycott unless FIFA withdrew its FIFA Future Enterprise (FFE) plan, which would have sold minority shares in World Cups and other tournaments to private investors. Infantino announced late Friday that he was dropping the scheme, but UEFA's response on Saturday went far beyond acceptance, detailing deep grievances with his leadership style. The statement accused the FIFA leadership of orchestrating "secret schemes on fast track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game." It called for accountability, asserting that "the current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA's confidence but also that of many other members of the football family." Read also: Why Iran's Kurdish Opposition Faces a Precarious Tightrope UEFA also invoked Infantino's own words from his 2016 election campaign, when he promised transparency and said "the money of FIFA is your money." The statement concluded that on both promises "he has failed to deliver," and described the abandoned deal as "shabby, back room, opaque." In a conciliatory note, UEFA expressed gratitude to fans, leagues, clubs, players, and political leaders who opposed the plan, and called for redirecting FIFA's idle funds to grassroots development in its 211 member countries. "We don't need to sell off the family silver to pay for it," the statement said, adding that while the proposal's withdrawal is "a victory for the whole game," rebuilding trust in FIFA "has only just begun." Background Infantino, a Swiss-Italian, has led FIFA since 2016, when he won the presidency following Sepp Blatter's exit. He was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023, and the March 18 elections were expected to follow the same pattern, with a November 18 deadline for challengers to step forward. The FFE plan was unveiled with little consultation, drawing immediate opposition from UEFA, which became its most vocal critic. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) was the first continental body to react publicly after the withdrawal, with its president, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, issuing a statement on the AFC website. Sheikh Salman, who lost to Infantino in the 2016 election, stressed that any initiative affecting global football must be discussed with confederations, the FIFA Council, and member associations "in a timely, transparent and meaningful manner." He added that the game's future must be shaped through "proper consultation, collective dialogue and respect for the established governance structures." Why It Matters UEFA's open criticism marks a rare public rupture between a powerful continental confederation and FIFA's leadership, exposing fractures that extend beyond the FFE proposal. The statement's call to "identify those responsible and hold them to account" signals that the episode may have lasting consequences for Infantino's presidency. The timing is critical: with elections scheduled for March and a November 18 candidate deadline looming, the possibility of a contested race now appears more real than ever. Sheikh Salman, 60, is considered a likely frontrunner should a challenge materialize, alongside Nasser Al-Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint-Germain, who sits on both UEFA's executive committee and the FIFA Council. The controversy also raises broader questions about governance and transparency in football's world governing body. UEFA's pointed reference to Infantino's 2016 promises suggests that trust, once broken, may not be easily restored, and the episode could embolden other confederations to demand more inclusive decision-making. What's Next With the FFE proposal withdrawn, attention now shifts to the March 18 elections and whether Infantino will face a challenger. The November 18 deadline for candidates is the next key date, and any formal opposition would break the pattern of unopposed re-elections that marked his previous terms. UEFA has indicated it will work with partners to propose alternative ways of distributing resources through the existing FIFA Forward Programme, aiming to channel funds to grassroots football. It remains to be seen whether other confederations will echo UEFA's criticism or push for governance reforms. The immediate question is whether Infantino can weather this storm and secure a final term, or whether the weight of criticism will force him to step aside. The coming months will test FIFA's ability to rebuild trust, as UEFA's statement makes clear that the battle over football's future