Former UEFA Chief Michel Platini Demands Resignation of FIFA President Gianni Infantino Amid Growing Scandals

French football great Michel Platini has declared that FIFA president Gianni Infantino “must go” following a series of scandals that have surrounded football’s global governing body.

Speaking to a French media outlet on Sunday, former UEFA president Platini criticized Infantino, stating, “Economic affairs are one thing, but Infantino has failed because he is the guarantor of the rules of the game and he didn’t respect them.”

The 56-year-old Infantino has faced intense criticism following his aborted plan to introduce private investment into FIFA events like the World Cup. He was also lambasted over multiple controversies during the recently concluded World Cup in North America.

Platini took aim at the tournament's hydration breaks—which often lasted up to four minutes and were utilized by the host broadcaster for advertisements—as well as the prolonged half-time show during the final that exceeded the standard 15-minute limit. He also condemned the furore surrounding FIFA's suspension of a red card ban given to American forward Folarin Balogun after a phone call between United States President Donald Trump and Infantino.

“The ad breaks are not in the rules, the 30-minute half-time break in the final is not in the rules, and the red card, that’s the worst,” Platini said. “He’s the guarantor, he doesn’t respect them, he must go.”

In the wake of the tournament, UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA tournaments unless Infantino scrapped the FIFA Forward Enterprises plan regarding private investment. European football’s governing body has also accused Infantino of “criminal mismanagement” over the private financing. FIFA did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.

Other regional bodies, including the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), have added pressure on Infantino ahead of his expected re-election bid in March.

“It won’t be sporting institutions that sort this out and bring him down,” Platini stated. “If UEFA want to bring down Infantino, it will be through the courts.” He added, “I always knew that he loved money and power.”

Platini himself faced fraud accusations in 2015 while serving as UEFA president and eyeing the FIFA job held by Sepp Blatter, who was accused of making an illegal $2m payment to the Frenchman. Platini was acquitted of wrongdoing in 2025 but was forced to step down, paving the way for Infantino's election in 2016.

Currently, Platini is suing Infantino, along with former FIFA officials Marco Villiger and Domenico Scala, in France to seek compensation for damages related to the tactics used to block his 2015 presidential bid, accusing the trio of criminal conspiracy, false accusation, and influence peddling.