August 20, 2026 | 06:47 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing mounting opposition within world football after Hungarian Football Federation chief Sandor Csanyi became the fifth of the organization's eight vice presidents to withdraw his support and call for the Swiss-Italian administrator to step down.
According to The Guardian, in an explosive letter sent to Infantino on Tuesday and first obtained by Agence France-Presse, Csanyi said he had "lost the confidence I previously placed in you" and questioned the FIFA president's "professional judgment, ethical standards and leadership."
He described the "unexpected dismissal" of FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour as the "final straw."
Lamour was dismissed by FIFA on Monday after breaking ranks with Infantino last month by criticizing his leadership and his now-aborted plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
The move has intensified a crisis that has engulfed Infantino since his proposed Football Forward Enterprise scheme came under heavy criticism from football's governing bodies. The plan would have allowed private investors to acquire stakes in a new World Cup commercial company, potentially generating a major financial windfall for FIFA.
Support for Infantino Erodes
Csanyi's defection adds to a growing list of senior football officials distancing themselves from Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani and Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa have all made their opposition to Infantino clear. Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt has also withdrawn her support.
Of FIFA's eight vice presidents, only Alejandro Domínguez of South America's CONMEBOL, Patrick Motsepe of the Confederation of African Football and Oceania Football Confederation chief Lambert Maltock remain aligned with Infantino.
Csanyi is also a member of FIFA's 37-member Council, the organization's principal decision-making body. He has accused Infantino of repeatedly overlooking him.
"My conviction that you are capable of continuing to lead FIFA successfully and effectively in accordance with the shared values that previously formed the basis of our cooperation has been undermined," Csanyi wrote.
"The final straw was the unexpected dismissal of Kevin Lamour."
World Cup Plans Under Fire
According to Give Me Sport, Csanyi also referred to "a number of controversial decisions" surrounding this year's World Cup, including Infantino's involvement in plans to "outsource FIFA competitions and place them in the hands of external parties."
The criticism follows months of mounting pressure on Infantino after his proposed World Cup investment scheme triggered resistance from UEFA and CONMEBOL.
The backlash has also spread to national associations, with several countries withdrawing their support for Infantino ahead of FIFA's next presidential election in March.
Infantino's position had appeared virtually unassailable after he secured broad backing from FIFA members following the financially successful 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
He previously faced no serious challenger for the presidency. But the growing opposition from FIFA's own leadership has raised the prospect of a contested election and a potential end to his decade-long tenure.
The latest revolt comes as Infantino attempts to contain the fallout from Lamour's dismissal and the collapse of his plans to bring private investment into FIFA's flagship competition.
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