Six Nordic football associations have declared they have lost confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino, demanding his resignation and sweeping governance reforms at world football’s governing body.
The football associations of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Faroe Islands issued a rare joint statement after meeting in Helsinki, aligning themselves with UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF in challenging Infantino’s leadership. The three confederations represent the sport’s most powerful regional blocs across Europe, Asia, and North and Central America.
“The six Nordic football associations have lost confidence in FIFA’s president and are concerned about the organisation’s governance and decision-making at the highest level,” the statement read. The associations also called for binding guarantees that FIFA competitions and governance structures will never be opened to private ownership.
The revolt stems from Infantino’s proposal to sell a stake in commercial rights for tournaments such as the World Cup to private equity investors through a vehicle called FIFA Forward Enterprise. The plan triggered global backlash and was quickly abandoned, but the Nordic associations insist on a fully independent external investigation into the episode.
“We also call on FIFA to initiate a comprehensive and independent review of its governance framework to determine whether it ensures the independence, checks and balances, transparency and accountability that were intended when FIFA adopted its reform programme in 2016,” the statement added.
Denmark’s football association has separately pledged to help identify a credible alternative candidate ahead of the next FIFA presidential election, where Infantino is seeking a fourth term that would extend his tenure to 2031.
The pressure comes as Infantino travels through the Caribbean meeting officials from the Caribbean Football Union. CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani had asked Infantino to avoid a regional under-14 youth tournament in the Dominican Republic, arguing his presence would overshadow the event. Infantino defended his attendance, saying it was important to engage directly with member associations.
FIFA has not responded to requests for comment on the Nordic statement.
The coordinated action marks an unusual public fracture between FIFA’s leadership and its European and Nordic members, who have historically formed a reliable voting bloc. With UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF now discussing a potential vote of no confidence, the governance crisis represents the most serious challenge to Infantino’s presidency since he took office in 2016.
The next FIFA Congress will test whether the dissent translates into a formal leadership contest or forces concessions on governance reform. For now, the Nordic statement signals that demands for accountability have moved from private corridors into open declaration.
