Luis Figo calls on FIFA president Gianni Infantino to resign over sell-off plans

Portugal great Luis Figo has called for Gianni Infantino to resign on the day the FIFA president held crisis talks in Morocco.

Figo, who was a candidate for the FIFA presidency in 2015 before withdrawing and later backing Infantino, described the Swiss’ conduct the “lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed”.

Infantino held talks with FIFA executives in Morocco on Wednesday after calling an emergency meeting in Rabat in the wake of his now abandoned plan to seek private investment in a company to run the World Cup.

He was pictured in the evening smiling at a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations game while sat alongside FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, who was understood to have sent an email to FIFA staff earlier this week addressing the “sad and reproachable series of events” of the last week “which thankfully concluded with the project being permanently abandoned”.

But as Infantino appeared calm amid the ongoing controversy over his position, he faced calls to resign from former Real Madrid and Barcelona winger Figo while Canada’s Prime Minister said he had no confidence in FIFA’s president.

UEFA football adviser Figo wrote in the Daily Mail: “I could write 10,000 words on the problems at FIFA. But the solution needs only three: Infantino must go.

“I have loved football all my life. I was a professional player for 20 years. And believe me, I have met some rogues in my time in the game.

“But what I have seen exposed in the last 10 days is the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed.

“The man who would do that – the man who would try to force through such major changes just to enrich himself and his friends – is a relic of the game’s past and should have no part in its future.

“None of this comes as a surprise when you consider the litany of abuses he has inflicted on football’s reputation; from suspending and reversing disciplinary decisions to breaking the laws of the game over a half-time show, nothing gets in the way of pleasing his friends.

“Infantino has debased the office of FIFA president that he promised to elevate. He has lied, deceived and tried to feather his own nest at the expense of the game he is supposed to serve.”

Infantino also faced criticism from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country co-hosted this summer’s World Cup.

Carney told Canadian media: “The idea that proper governance is not to disclose to your closest advisers, your chief operating officer, your fellow board members, something of consequence that you’re even considering, let alone proposing, that should be fatal, and you lose confidence in that individual.

“They have their own procedures for making those determinations, but certainly I don’t have confidence in Mr Infantino after this point, given what transpired and given the nature of what transpired. This is not how you run any business, a small business, let alone something that is a global responsibility like football.”

Infantino’s plan to expand the World Cup to 64 teams was attacked by the European Leagues, which co-ordinates professional football leagues in 34 countries across Europe.

It labelled the sell-off proposals “ill-conceived” and insisted the “dangerous idea” raised “serious questions” over FIFA’s governance.

The 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States featured 48 teams, itself an increase of 16 from the previous edition in 2022.

The next men’s tournament in 2030 is scheduled to be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay hosting a game each to celebrate the World Cup’s centenary.

Reports on Wednesday evening suggested Morocco had been offered the chance to host the final in return for supporting Infantino.

But a FIFA spokesperson said: “It is false and misleading to claim the FIFA president has made any promise in relation to hosting the FIFA World Cup 2030 final. A decision will be made by FIFA in due course.”