Players call for change at Fifa as pressure mounts on Gianni Infantino

A group of influential current and former footballers published a statement on social media on 24 August 2026 calling for change at the top of Fifa amid criticism over Infantino’s attempt to sell stakes in the World Cup. "Enough is enough," the statement concluded.

The intervention was circulated widely and included contributions from figures who have undertaken ambassadorial activities for Fifa as part of its "Fifa Legends" programme. Among those involved was Mikaël Silvestre, the former Manchester United and Arsenal defender who sits on Fifa’s 16-member players’ voice panel designed to assist with anti-racism initiatives. Others to have shared the statement include the England defender Lucy Bronze, the former England keeper David James and the France 1998 World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit, and the organisers said more signatories are expected to follow. "We share the exact same concerns as the millions of fans around the world," part of the statement read.

The signatories said they had seen the sport drift away from its core values and criticised decision-making that, they said, excluded players and disregarded fans. "Like them, we have watched the game we love drift away from its core values under Fifa’s current leadership. For too long, we’ve seen major decisions taken without players being consulted or considered, and without any regard for the fans who sustain the sport," the statement said.

The group called explicitly for structural change within Fifa, arguing power had distorted current leadership priorities and making silence no longer an option. "Change is necessary. Power has blurred the current leadership’s ability to distinguish between its own interests and what is best for football. Recent events have made silence impossible," the statement added. It also said: "There are good people within Fifa who want to rebuild trust, but a new era requires a structured change: a real, direct say for players and fans in how football is run. Those who step on to the pitch and those who sit in the stands deserve a genuine voice to help reshape football’s future together."

Infantino has resisted calls to resign and spent Saturday at a youth tournament in the Dominican Republic, attempting to smooth relations with some of the smaller Caribbean member associations on whose support his fate may hinge. The players' intervention follows controversy linked to his attempt to sell stakes in the World Cup.

Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroonian football federation, expressed a different view in an interview with CNN, saying "I don’t think that [Infantino] has done anything wrong." He urged a return to discussion of the Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme if Infantino is re-elected next March, adding: "All of this has happened because there’s an election coming out, that’s all there is." He also said: "I want to see all of my colleagues, all of the presidents, re-reading the project. After president Infantino is re-elected, we will have the strength to ask for this project to be put back on the table for discussion. I remain convinced that, if there is a democratic vote, this project will be adopted because it’s good for the majority."

Infantino faces re-election next March, and the players’ statement, together with Eto’o’s comments, frames the debate ahead of that vote. More signatories to the players’ campaign are expected to follow.