The French Football Federation has officially withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino's re-election.

The French Football Federation (FFF) Executive Committee on Thursday unanimously voted to withdraw its support for the re-election of current FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

French Football Federation President Philippe Diallo stated bluntly that Gianni Infantino's recent actions have severely damaged the public image and unity of football.

The French Football Federation had confirmed its support for Gianni Infantino at the end of June, but a series of controversies in recent months led to a breakdown in trust between the two sides. In particular, Infantino's proposed commercial sale plan for the World Cup in July sparked widespread resistance. Although the plan was subsequently halted, Diallo emphasized that simply withdrawing the project could not undo the damage.

Furthermore, the suspension of American striker Balogun during the World Cup was overturned by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee after Trump lobbied, an incident that interfered with fair play and raised strong questions about the transparency of the event's governance.

In his statement, Diallo bluntly stated that the trust between them had completely collapsed: "The French Football Federation cannot remain silent when someone tries to interfere in the sport in a unilateral and opaque manner, or even sell off our shared assets."

"As a founding member of FIFA and a football powerhouse with a strong track record in recent years, we have a responsibility, both historically and competitively, to stand up when FIFA goes astray and refuse to allow it to develop in a direction that goes against the overall interests of football."

With the French Football Federation publicly breaking with Gianni Infantino, they have joined the ranks of European football associations such as England and Wales, who had previously withdrawn their support. Nominations for FIFA presidential candidates will close on November 18th, with the formal election scheduled for March next year.

Diallo stated that the French Football Federation will be deeply involved in UEFA's search for alternative candidates and will work with former FIFA executives and other anti-corruption and governance experts to jointly promote in-depth reforms of FIFA's management mechanisms.

Image source: Internet/BBC official website