Diallo withdraws support for Infantino too late, French Football Federation under fire

Philippe Diallo officially withdrew his support for Gianni Infantino during the French Football Federation (FFF) executive committee meeting last week, confirming that France would not back the FIFA president’s candidacy for the election on March 18, 2027. A long-awaited decision, but one judged far too late by several observers.

The context is one of growing backlash against Infantino, following the revelation of his plan to sell stakes in the 2026 World Cup to private investors. UEFA and several confederations quickly distanced themselves, dragging many European federations in their wake. France eventually joined this camp, but with a delay that did not go unnoticed.

Diallo had certainly voiced public criticism of Infantino a few weeks earlier, without committing to a position. This delay is now being held against him. Journalist Dominique Sévérac, a regular contributor on RTL, did not mince words: “Philippe Diallo, it’s awful. He’s the worst president we’ve seen in a long time. There are already nine federations along with France that have distanced themselves from Gianni Infantino. Was he jet-lagged? What happened? Did he wake up this week?”

According to several reports relayed by the press in recent days, Philippe Diallo was encouraged by the French presidency to clarify his position, notably to align with the line adopted by UEFA on this matter.

In the battle for the FIFA presidency, Infantino remains for now the only officially declared candidate. Sévérac warned against a premature entry into the race by a potential rival: “You can’t expose yourself too early against Infantino. He still has part of Africa with him. If a candidate comes out now, he needs to be solid. Kevin Lamour showed courage, but is he solid enough to withstand a virulent campaign? Because Infantino, he will go for it.”

The FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 18, 2027.