FIFA president Gianni Infantino has dismissed questions about his future, insisting that he retains overwhelming support across world football despite a growing dispute over his leadership.

The Swiss-Italian spoke to BBC Sport in Baku, Azerbaijan, where the first FIFA Under-15 World Cup is being held. He laughed when asked whether he had considered resigning following the controversy over a proposed investment deal involving FIFA competitions.

“I think what is important is that in an organisation like FIFA, there can be different views, different points of view,” Infantino said.

He added that football’s governing body must respect differing opinions while allowing its members to decide who should lead it.

UEFA Demands Answers

The comments come amid a dispute over FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a proposal to create a commercial subsidiary that would manage FIFA competitions and attract private investment.

A portion of the venture was expected to be sold to outside investors. The proposal was withdrawn in August after opposition from several football confederations.

Infantino had argued that the plan could generate more money for football development. Critics, however, questioned how the proposal had been handled and why FIFA’s governing council had not been properly involved.

UEFA has since demanded greater transparency. In a letter reported by Reuters, it requested answers to 42 questions covering the abandoned proposal and other matters concerning Infantino’s presidency. FIFA has been given until 2 November to provide documents and responses. Reuters reported that the dispute remains a major source of tension between the organisations.

Infantino Admits Mistakes

Infantino apologised to the FIFA Council on 15 October over the way the FFE proposal had been communicated and discussed.

However, concerns have persisted. European representatives have called for key documents to be released, arguing that important questions remain unanswered.

When asked about the outstanding material, Infantino said FIFA would respond within the limits of the applicable process.

“We'll answer of course all the questions that are asked as far as the process allows, as far as we can,” he said.

He also acknowledged that FIFA had made decisions that could have been handled better. He said dialogue with UEFA needed to happen more often as efforts continued to repair relations.

UEFA’s concerns have not been fully resolved. The organisation’s latest demands show that the disagreement extends beyond the withdrawal of the investment proposal to questions about decision-making and accountability. The Associated Press reported that the requested information also covers several other issues linked to Infantino’s presidency.

Support Ahead of the 2027 Election

Despite the criticism, Infantino has received public backing from several regional football bodies.

The Asian Football Confederation endorsed him after its president, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, reversed an earlier position. Infantino has also said he enjoys support across Africa.

Reuters reported on 23 October that the Asian endorsement had strengthened Infantino’s position ahead of the election scheduled for March 2027. UEFA remains among his most prominent critics, while no challenger had formally entered the race at the time of the BBC interview. Read the Reuters report.

The deadline for candidates to declare their intention to stand is 18 November. Infantino, who became FIFA president in 2016, is seeking a fourth term.

He maintains that FIFA’s 211 member associations should ultimately determine the organisation’s leadership.

“There are different points of view,” he said. “It’s not always easy to bring them all under one roof.”

FIFA Promotes Youth Football

Infantino’s visit to Azerbaijan also focused on the inaugural FIFA Under-15 World Cup and Festival, which features teams representing 189 member associations.

England, Spain, France, Argentina and Brazil are among the participating countries. Russia has also entered a team, marking its return to a FIFA-sanctioned tournament after Russian sides were suspended in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine.

The competition uses an eight-a-side format, smaller pitches and 20-minute halves. The tournament is being staged for boys, with a girls’ edition planned for next year. From 2028, FIFA intends to hold the boys’ and girls’ competitions annually.

Infantino said the event was designed to bring young players from different countries together and give them an early experience of international football.

For now, however, the future of his presidency remains tied to a broader question: whether FIFA can restore trust among its own leadership while facing demands for greater transparency over major commercial decisions.