President of the French federation: Infantino's project is worrying, and Europe is not against the rest of the world | Goal.com

Published on 29 Jul 2026 | Reading time: 2 minutes

Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, has launched an attack on FIFA president Gianni Infantino over the project to sell shares of the World Cup to private investment funds. The plan, Diallo argues, raises numerous fears and questions about the future of the tournament and the way world football is run.

French newspaper "L'Équipe" reported that Diallo, like the rest of the football world, learned of Infantino's project through "The Times". The French Federation had received no prior warning.

What is the "elixir of life" that has kept Messi and Cristiano on the pitch until now?

Led by Salah: world stars without clubs in mid-transfer window

Asked for his view of the project, Diallo said: "It is a worrying project that raises many questions. We discovered it through the press, without receiving any information. We do not know its philosophy, nor its necessity, nor the financial structure, nor its sources of funding. This project is worrying because it lacks detail, and it touches on one of football's fundamental assets, the World Cup, the biggest sporting competition in the world."

He added: "Certainly, it is a cause for concern. I have previously intervened over the conditions for distributing World Cup revenues to the national teams, because I found them somewhat unfair. This project, we do not know where it came from. And there are various events, such as the cancellation of Balogun's red card (at the request of Donald Trump), and the project to move to 64 teams after 48, or certain financial structures, which requires a review of this governance, which is not on a par with what football represents."

The FIFA presidential elections are scheduled for March 2027, and so far Infantino appears to face no rival, with a large majority of countries set to back him again. On that, the president of the French Federation said: "Africa and Asia have already announced that they will vote again for Infantino, yes. We must build a rigorous relationship with FIFA, and we are not at that level currently. There are also questions and accountability. And other countries are conducting the same reflections that I am."

Would the French Federation vote for Infantino? Diallo replied: "There cannot be new elections without more clarity, democracy and transparency."

He refused to reduce the matter to a confrontation between Europe and the rest of the world, saying: "The CONCACAF confederation is also questioning this new project. A new demand is emerging. Europe has legitimacy in expressing its voice. Six out of eight quarter-finalists were European in the last World Cup (and three out of four in the semi-finals: Spain, France and England). It can express its values, even if not all the other confederations share them."

Read the original news