Officially: the Swiss federation withdraws its support for Infantino in the FIFA elections

The country that hosts FIFA's international headquarters has turned on Gianni Infantino. In a painful and unprecedented blow, the Swiss Football Association has withdrawn its full support for his candidacy for a new term as FIFA president, opening fire on his handling and governance of the game.

The association's central committee confirmed the reversal in an official press statement. Last June it had backed the Italian-Swiss candidate. Now it will not support him at the upcoming presidential elections.

The Swiss Football Association explained that the decision came "after a comprehensive reassessment of the developments seen over the past few months", adding: "From our point of view, several events raise fundamental questions about leadership, governance, transparency and decision-making processes within FIFA".

One incident stood out. The statement pointed to "matters relating to the clarity of the rules and the integrity of competitions in the Balogun case", a reference to Infantino overturning the American player's sending-off before the round-of-16 match at the last World Cup. That intervention in a technical decision sparked wide controversy.

Gianni Infantino pierde un apoyo con alta carga simbólica en su intento de seguir al frente de la FIFA, el de la Federación de fútbol de Suiza (ASF), su país de nacimiento y donde está la sede del propio órgano rector del balompié mundial #AFP #AFPdeportes pic.twitter.com/wGU8HtI5ZN — Agence France-Presse (@AFPespanol) September 30, 2026

Demands for transparency and accountability

The statement went further, calling for greater transparency. "For us, credibility, transparency, accountability and the effective involvement of the competent bodies, as stipulated by the statutes, are essential conditions for building trust in the governance of international football and the integrity of FIFA".

Peter Knäbel, president of the Swiss Football Association, said he expects FIFA's leadership to respect the highest standards of transparency, traceability and institutional accountability. He stressed that he "cannot take responsibility for continuing to support Gianni Infantino's candidacy".

For all the sharpness of the statement, the association knows its own position. As the body representing the country that hosts FIFA's headquarters, it vowed to keep pushing for "transparency, reliable structures, rule-based decision-making processes, and the promotion of a united and ethical international football community".