Nordic football bodies withdraw confidence in FIFA chief Infantino

Six Nordic football associations have dealt a significant blow to FIFA President Gianni Infantino's leadership, jointly declaring they no longer have confidence in him and demanding major institutional reforms at world soccer's governing body.

The Nordic federations, representing some of football's most respected administrators, issued their statement on Sunday in a coordinated show of dissatisfaction with Infantino's stewardship and FIFA's broader governance structures. The move marks an unusually direct challenge to the FIFA president from a regional confederation of football bodies.

The associations called for sweeping reforms across FIFA's operations and decision-making processes, reflecting growing concerns about the organization's governance standards and leadership direction. The joint action underscores divisions among football's international bodies over the administration of the sport's global affairs.

Infantino has led FIFA since 2016, initially promising reforms following the corruption scandals that plagued the organization under his predecessor Sepp Blatter. The Nordic federations' statement suggests concerns persist about the effectiveness of these governance improvements.

The rebuke from the Nordic nations, which maintain strong reputations for institutional governance, carries symbolic weight within international football circles and may prompt further scrutiny of FIFA's administrative practices.