Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew examines the mounting revolt against Fifa president Gianni Infantino, who is reportedly "holed up" in Salé, Morocco, as he tries to save his presidency. Football federation leaders from Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Federation are said to be considering drastic measures, including a "governance boycott" or even a breakaway rival tournament, in response to Infantino's plan to sell off a stake in the World Cup to private investors. The piece questions why such organised resistance has taken so long to materialise, given a long list of prior controversies under his leadership.

Fifa Legends ambassador Luís Figo broke ranks this week, branding Infantino's investor sell-off plan "the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed" and calling for him to resign. Liew traces the roots of discontent back nearly eight years to Infantino's 2018 deal in principle with Japan's Softbank (backed by Saudi Arabia's public investment fund), through the 2022 Qatar World Cup controversy, Saudi Arabia's contested award of the 2034 World Cup, the forced introduction of the Club World Cup, and the recent barring of referee Omar Artan from a World Cup assignment.