No-one can be certain what happens now. And no-one knows what the future for Infantino is.<\/p>\n
Fifa is yet to respond to Uefa’s statement, which was followed up by another from Concacaf, which governs football in North and Central America and hosted this year’s World Cup, saying their 41 members rejected the proposals.<\/p>\n
Yet, in a sense, it is not Fifa’s argument.<\/p>\n
Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt is a Fifa vice-president. She spoke out against the plan at Uefa’s emergency meeting on Thursday. The FA said it stands “shoulder to shoulder with our European colleagues” on the matter.<\/p>\n
Scottish FA president Mike Mulraney is also chair of Fifa’s finance committee. The Scottish FA’s statement said the organisation “agrees unequivocally” with Uefa’s stance.<\/p>\n
The repeated responses from those who have spoken out are of fury at the lack of proper consultation and lack of dialogue from Infantino, including with his Fifa colleagues, as much as with the proposals themselves.<\/p>\n
“Anger,” said one source, when asked for the prevailing mood at Uefa’s emergency meeting.<\/p>\n
Infantino became Fifa president in 2016 when he beat Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa by 115 votes to 88. The Swiss is due to stand for a fourth term in March.<\/p>\n
Prior to this week, it had been anticipated he would be re-elected unopposed. FAs around the world, including some in Europe, have already confirmed their intention to support the 56-year-old.<\/p>\n
But sources say in addition to rejecting Infantino’s plan, the vast majority of the Concacaf members are either losing faith in the Fifa president’s ability to govern the game, or have lost it altogether.<\/p>\n
Now there is talk of trying to find someone to stand against him.<\/p>\n
The name of Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been mentioned. This is understandable. Qatari Al-Khelaifi is already one of the most powerful figures in football, not only through his status as president of back-to-back Champions League winners Paris St-Germain but his leadership of European clubs.<\/p>\n