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French football legend Michel Platini has called for the resignation of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, citing a series of scandals and failures within the governing body. In a scathing interview with a French media outlet, Platini accused Infantino of neglecting his role as the guardian of the sport's rules.
The former UEFA president expressed his disappointment, stating, "Economic affairs are one thing, but Infantino has failed because he is the guarantor of the rules of the game, and he didn’t respect them." Platini's criticism comes amidst ongoing controversies surrounding FIFA's operations, particularly during the recent World Cup in North America.
Infantino has faced scrutiny since his aborted plan to bring private investment into FIFA events, including the World Cup. The Swiss-Italian official has also been lambasted over various issues during the tournament, such as the so-called hydration breaks that lasted up to four minutes and were used for advertisements by the host broadcaster.
Platini also pointed to the lengthy half-time show during the final, which exceeded the required maximum of 15 minutes, and the suspension of a red card ban given to American forward Folarin Balogun following a phone call by United States President Donald Trump to Infantino.
"The ad breaks are not in the rules, the 30-minute half-time break in the final is not in the rules, and the red card, that’s the worst," said Platini. "He’s the guarantor [of the rules], he doesn’t respect them, he must go," added Platini, who served as UEFA's secretary-general under his leadership.
UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA tournaments until Infantino scraps the FIFA Forward Enterprises plan to bring in private investment. The European football governing body has also accused Infantino of "criminal mismanagement" over the private financing.
Other regional bodies, including the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), have joined UEFA in putting pressure on Infantino. He is currently seeking re-election in March.
Platini, who was himself accused of fraud in 2015 when he was UEFA president, expressed his concerns about Infantino's leadership. "I always knew that he loved money and power," Platini said about the Swiss-Italian. He believes that UEFA will have to take legal action to bring down Infantino if it wants to succeed in its efforts.
"I always knew that he loved money and power," Platini added about the Swiss-Italian. Platini was eventually acquitted of any wrongdoing in 2025 but was forced to step down at the time, with Infantino taking advantage of the situation to be elected FIFA president in 2016.
Platini is currently suing Infantino, as well as former FIFA officials Marco Villiger and Domenico Scala, in France. He is seeking compensation for the damages he suffered as a result of the tactics used to prevent him from being elected FIFA president in 2015. Platini accuses the trio of a "criminal conspiracy to commit false accusation ... influence peddling ... and aiding and abetting influence peddling."
As the pressure mounts on Infantino, the fate of FIFA and its leadership remains uncertain. With calls for accountability and transparency growing louder, the future of the world's most prestigious football organization hangs in the balance.
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