Dutch Football Federation is Latest to Withdraw Support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino

AMSTERDAM (AP) — The Dutch football federation became the latest nation to call for new leadership at FIFA on Sunday.

In a statement, the federation said it "no longer has confidence" in FIFA President Gianni Infantino. It offered to host an international summit to discuss the future of FIFA.

"We believe FIFA needs new leadership from 2027 onwards. But a new president alone is not enough. The way FIFA is governed must change as well," it said.

"We see too much power concentrated around the FIFA president and insufficient separation between the president and the FIFA administration," the federation said. "The process surrounding the now-withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal was a turning point for us. Withdrawing the proposal was necessary, but it does not restore the trust that has been lost."

The federation said it shared "this position and our vision for the future of FIFA" in a letter to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin.

UEFA, the European soccer confederation, is spearheading the backlash against Infantino over his failed World Cup sell-off plan that created a deep rift in the sport.

Many of its other member federations have withdrawn their support for the FIFA leader, who is up for re-election in March 2027. Some have called for his resignation.

Infantino has not given any indication he plans to step down.

The Dutch federation said there is a need for a "new FIFA," not just a new president.

"For us, this discussion must be about more than Gianni Infantino. The key question is: what kind of FIFA does football need?" the federation said. "Our ambition is clear: a strong and credible FIFA that belongs to football, serves its members and develops the game around the world."

It said "this should not be a European plan for the rest of the world. We want to develop this new direction together with FIFA's 211 Member Associations and the confederations from all parts of the world."

The Dutch federation said it sees three priorities: improved governance with a better balance of power, putting soccer's social power at the heart of FIFA and investing more in soccer worldwide.

The federation said it wants to host the international summit, saying "the 2027 presidential election should not only be about who leads FIFA. First, we need to determine what kind of FIFA we want. Then we can identify the leadership needed to deliver that change."