French President Emmanuel Macron helped harden the French Football Federation's stance towards the project that FIFA president Gianni Infantino had been trying to launch, press reports have revealed. The plan called for the creation of a commercial company affiliated with FIFA and open to private-sector investors. It was recently abandoned amid a broad wave of objections.
According to L'Équipe, Macron encouraged French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo to take a firmer line against the project, after Diallo had initially described it as "a project that raises concern".
A source familiar with the file told the newspaper that Diallo received direct backing to toughen his tone. "The President of the Republic encouraged him to engage more forcefully in this battle," the source said, having judged his initial stance less sharp than expected.
The move came as European opposition escalated. UEFA threatened to boycott the World Cup if FIFA pressed ahead with its plan, following an emergency meeting devoted to the implications of the proposal.
Diallo played a "pivotal role" in coordinating positions with his European counterparts and with the UEFA president, the French Football Federation confirmed, as part of efforts to stop the project.
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Macron, for his part, also held contacts with Infantino, stressing the need to preserve the unity of world football, reports indicated.
Then came a striking turn. Diallo went from an expected supporter of Infantino, who is preparing to contest the FIFA presidential elections scheduled for March 2027, to demanding a "profound transformation" in the governance system within FIFA.
Its president believes FIFA must adhere to the highest standards of integrity and transparency, the French Federation clarified, considering that these standards "are no longer sufficiently in place" at present.
Calls are mounting within a number of national federations, alongside UEFA, to end Infantino's mandate. The failure of his latest investment project has sharpened them, prompting him to intensify his search for public support ahead of the upcoming elections.
Infantino has held the FIFA presidency since 2016, winning re-election for two further terms in 2019 and 2023.