Infantino's position deteriorated rapidly after he pursued private investment stakes in FIFA competitions without consulting other confederations. The move triggered unprecedented opposition from UEFA, which threatened to boycott the World Cup, alongside regional bodies in North America and Asia. Two senior advisers abandoned him, and after reversing the proposal Saturday morning, UEFA compounded his isolation by formally declaring lost confidence in his leadership.

Removing Infantino faces significant obstacles despite the widespread revolt. Three mechanisms could force his exit: voluntary resignation, an emergency FIFA Council meeting requiring 19 of 37 members to call it, or an extraordinary congress with a 106-vote no-confidence threshold. However, confederations representing Africa, South America and Oceania have not criticised his plan. Several nations that opposed the investment proposal—including Qatar—have publicly backed Infantino personally, suggesting that translating policy opposition into sufficient votes to oust an incumbent president remains difficult.