Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he no longer has confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as pressure mounts over the handling of a controversial proposal to sell the commercial rights to the men's World Cup.
Speaking to reporters in Toronto, Carney criticised what he described as a failure of transparency within football's governing body.
"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's fatal, should be fatal, and you lose confidence in that individual," he said.
He added: "Certainly I don't have confidence in Mr. Infantino after this point, given what transpired, and given the nature of what transpired."
Carney's remarks came as Infantino held crisis talks with senior FIFA officials in Morocco following the collapse of the commercial rights proposal, which has sparked fresh criticism of his leadership ahead of next year's FIFA Congress.
Infantino is expected to seek a fourth term as FIFA president in March, but the controversy has exposed growing divisions within the organisation.
The backlash has extended beyond external critics. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom reportedly described the episode as a "sad and reproachable series of events", while senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned last week.
The proposal and its collapse have raised wider questions about governance and decision-making at FIFA, with critics arguing that major strategic plans should have been shared more openly with senior officials.
Carney also praised Victor Montagliani, the Canadian businessman who leads CONCACAF, football's governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Montagliani has emerged as a potential successor to Infantino should the race for the FIFA presidency become contested.
"(Montagliani is a) credit to Canada, credit to football. Done a very good job in his role at CONCACAF," Carney said.
"He's someone I know well and have tremendous respect for."
The dispute comes only weeks after Canada helped host the FIFA World Cup alongside the United States and Mexico. Matches in Toronto and Vancouver attracted strong crowds and were widely viewed as a success.
However, attention has quickly shifted from the tournament to questions over FIFA's leadership, with the organisation facing renewed scrutiny over its governance as preparations begin for the next presidential election.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told allied foreign ministers Washington will focus on sanctions and other pressure on Iran “for the time bein...
Russia and Ukraine are preparing another major prisoner exchange, with officials from both sides working to fin...
Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri has acknowledged that few teenagers used Instagram’s “Take a Break” feature before it became a defau...
Oil prices fell after the U.S. expanded economic sanctions on Iran, as Tehran vowed to retaliate and warned it had tools to respond, raising concerns over potential disruption to regional oil supplies.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Kyiv wants peace but will not surrender to Russia, as foreign leaders joined Independence Day events marking 35 years since Ukraine’s independence.
Kyiv has recently received a small number of U.S.-made Patriot interceptors capable of downing Russian ballistic missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. It comes as Britain and France pledged stronger military support for Ukraine.
Only four commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, following 13 transits a day earlier, as disruptions continue to restrict traffic through the key energy chokepoint.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told allied foreign ministers Washington will focus on sanctions and other pressure on Iran “for the time being”, Axios reports. Meanwhile, Iran and Oman have resumed talks on a temporary shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz.
Russia and Ukraine are preparing another major prisoner exchange, with officials from both sides working to finalise lists of people who could be released, Russia's state news agency TASS said Wednesday.
Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri has acknowledged that few teenagers used Instagram’s “Take a Break” feature before it became a default setting, as Meta faces a major U.S. trial over child safety.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 26th of August, covering the latest developments.
U.S. President Donald Trump has formally sent a landmark nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress, opening a new phase in a deal that has already sparked debate over nuclear proliferation and Riyadh's ambitions.
The Trump administration has temporarily suspended some visa appointment scheduling at U.S. embassies and consulates around the world as part of a new training initiative for consular staff, adding another layer to the administration's broader immigration policy overhaul.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment