“A fundamental crisis of trust”: Denmark no longer wants Gianni Infantino in charge of FIFA
Gianni Infantino does not have many friends right now. A few weeks after trying to punch a hole in the World Cup’s financial model, the FIFA president is now being openly dumped by a member association. No hint of subtlety about it.
On Friday, the Danish Football Association (DBU) delivered a sharp broadside against the head of world football. For the Danes, the past few weeks have triggered “a fundamental crisis of trust” in FIFA’s leadership. Heavy words, and they say plenty about the gulf now between Copenhagen and Zurich.
The DBU has no intention of backing down. Neither Infantino’s apologies nor the scrapheap for his controversial plan are enough to undo the damage. The message is clear: Denmark will not support the incumbent at the next election.
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The World Cup plan has left a mark
At the heart of this latest split was an idea that landed like a bomb across the global game: allowing private investors to help fund and run some FIFA competitions. The plan was eventually binned after a huge backlash, but the political fallout is still very much alive.
For the DBU, this is about far more than a proposal that was pulled a few days later. It is about trust. The Danish federation also points out it did not back Infantino at his previous election in 2022.
Four years on, nothing has changed.
This time, the Danes want to go further.
Denmark wants a real alternative in 2027
The next FIFA presidential election will be held on 18 March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco. The DBU wants that date to become the springboard for a candidate who can offer a genuine alternative to Infantino.
The stated aim is ambitious: work with UEFA and other federations to put forward a figure who can “unite FIFA across confederations” and restore trust that has been badly damaged.
For now, no official challenger has emerged. Nominations can be submitted until 18 November. But Denmark has already placed an important marker in the political battle that is coming.
The DBU’s message is simple enough: it wants “to see a new president at the head of FIFA”.
Boycott talk now carries more weight
The pressure does not stop at the election. The Danish Football Association has also backed any boycott threats issued by UEFA over FIFA’s upcoming competitions.
It is a reminder that the power struggle will not be settled at the ballot box alone. If the world governing body wants to keep pushing ahead without changing how it operates, some European federations are now ready to turn up the heat.
The DBU is especially demanding guarantees that FIFA competitions will not be opened up to private investors.
Infantino may have wanted to test the limits. He has mainly found out they are still there.
With the 2027 election still months away, the opposition is scattered and no alternative candidate has officially declared. But one thing is certain: in Denmark, the FIFA president no longer gets the benefit of the doubt. And if other federations follow the same path, the next presidential race could get ugly very quickly.
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