The Dutch football association (KNVB) said it wants to host an international summit in Amsterdam to completely overhaul FIFA, calling for President Gianni Infantino to be replaced by 2027 as part of sweeping reforms to world soccer’s governing body.
The KNVB, one of FIFA’s founding members in 1904, said in a statement on Sunday it had lost confidence in Infantino and wants to reshape FIFA’s entire structure rather than just change leadership at the top.
Infantino is up for re-election in March next year but world soccer’s regional powerhouses are discussing whether to move a vote of no confidence after his aborted proposal to sell a stake in FIFA events like the World Cup to private equity investors.
“The KNVB no longer has confidence in the leadership of FIFA President Gianni Infantino. We believe FIFA needs new leadership from 2027 onwards,” it said in a statement.
“But a new President alone is not enough. The way FIFA is governed must change as well.
“The KNVB supported Infantino in the most recent presidential election. That support was never unconditional.”
The KNVB proposed an “International Summit on the Future of FIFA” in Amsterdam, emphasising the summit should determine “what kind of FIFA we want” before identifying new leadership.
“We see too much power concentrated around the FIFA president and insufficient separation between the President and the FIFA administration,” they added.
Reuters has contacted FIFA for comment.
KNVB’S REFORM PRIORITIES
The Dutch body outlined three reform priorities: better governance with stronger checks and balances, putting human rights and sustainability at the heart of decision-making, and stronger international cooperation.
It also wants FIFA to work towards reinvesting up to 90% of its distributable revenue in soccer development.
Infantino said last week it was FIFA’s job to close the gap between its wealthy members and those that have few financial resources.
“This should not be a European plan for the rest of the world,” the KNVB said.
“We want to develop this new direction together with FIFA’s 211 Member Associations and the confederations from all parts of the world.”
The KNVB is part of UEFA, which asked a U.S. federal court for permission to obtain testimony and documents from FIFA entities in Florida for use in a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against Infantino.
