Former Portugal captain Luis Figo has called for Gianni Infantino to resign immediately as FIFA president, launching a blistering attack on the embattled head of world football’s governing body. In a statement posted on social media on Wednesday, Figo accused Infantino of lying, deceiving the football community and attempting to use his position for personal benefit.
“Today I join others from across our game and call for Gianni Infantino to resign as FIFA President,” Figo wrote. “Infantino has debased the office 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.”
The former Real Madrid and Barcelona forward also claimed that Infantino had lost the confidence of key figures within FIFA and the wider football community. “He has lost the support of his senior staff, his closest advisers, the vast majority of people who devote their lives to this sport and even, it would seem, the FIFA Peace Prize winner,” Figo added.
The final reference was an apparent dig at United States President Donald Trump, who was presented with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize by Infantino in December 2025.
Figo ended his statement with an unequivocal demand for Infantino’s departure. “It is too late to save his dignity but it is not too late to save football. He should go. Now,” he wrote, adding the hashtag “#InfantinoOut”.
Pressure mounts on Infantino
Figo’s intervention comes amid a deepening leadership crisis at FIFA following the collapse of Infantino’s controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. The plan involved creating a new commercial entity and selling a 20 per cent stake to private investors for around $4.2 billion. It faced fierce opposition over concerns surrounding transparency, governance and the long-term control of FIFA’s most valuable commercial and tournament assets.
Infantino eventually abandoned the proposal after resistance from confederations, national associations and senior figures within FIFA. The fallout has continued despite the plan being withdrawn. Carlos Cordeiro, one of Infantino’s senior advisers, resigned with immediate effect and described the proposal as “a bad deal for football”. FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom also criticised the manner in which the project had been handled, while Arsene Wenger said withdrawing it had been “absolutely necessary”.
Infantino was holding talks with senior FIFA officials in Morocco on Wednesday as he attempted to contain the crisis and preserve support ahead of the next presidential election. He announced in May that he intends to stand for re-election in 2027. Figo’s statement represents one of the strongest public attacks yet from a former player of his stature. Rather than simply criticising Infantino’s conduct or opposing his re-election, the Portuguese great has demanded that he leave the position immediately.
