Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) has called for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to step down, intensifying pressure on the embattled head of world football’s governing body.
Announcing the decision on Friday, NFF president Lise Klaveness said Infantino no longer enjoys the level of institutional confidence needed to effectively lead FIFA, arguing that new leadership is necessary to restore trust in the organization.
“He does not have the institutional trust required to lead FIFA in a stable manner in the current climate. There is no turning back for Gianni Infantino,” Klaveness told reporters.
“We are going to ask the FIFA president to resign now,” she added, a day after the Norwegian federation’s governing bodies met to consider the future of the FIFA president.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, is seeking a fourth and final term when the presidential election is held next March.
Infantino, an Italian-Swiss lawyer, remains the only declared candidate for the FIFA presidency.
To secure another term, he must win the backing of a majority of FIFA’s 211 member associations.
Prospective challengers have until November 18 to formally declare their candidacies.
The renewed push for his resignation comes amid mounting criticism following the collapse of his controversial proposal to allow private investment in FIFA competitions, including the FIFA World Cup.
The plan, unveiled last week, drew widespread criticisms across the football community, with several national federations and stakeholders raising concerns over both the proposal itself and what they described as a lack of transparency and meaningful consultation during its development.
Norway has long been one of Infantino’s most outspoken critics.
NFF president Lise Klaveness has consistently challenged FIFA’s leadership on issues of governance, accountability and transparency.
The Norwegian federation’s latest stance further intensifies the pressure on Infantino ahead of the 2027 FIFA presidential election, highlighting growing divisions within world football over his continued leadership.
