Hungarian football chief Sandor Csanyi has withdrawn his support for Fifa president Gianni Infantino. Csanyi said he no longer has confidence in Infantino’s leadership, judgment and ethics.
Csanyi is one of Fifa’s eight vice-presidents. His decision is a major blow to Infantino. It also adds to growing criticism from senior football leaders around the world.
In a letter sent to Infantino on Tuesday, Csanyi said he had “lost the confidence I previously placed in you”. He also criticised Infantino’s professional judgment, ethical standards and leadership.
Csanyi said the dismissal of Fifa chief operating officer Kevin Lamour was the final reason for his decision. Fifa removed Lamour from his role on Monday.
Lamour had recently spoken out against Infantino. He criticised a plan to sell shares in the World Cup to private investors. The plan was later abandoned.
Csanyi’s letter makes him the fifth Fifa vice-president to turn against Infantino. Five of the body’s eight vice-presidents have now called for him to leave his post.
The group includes Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin. Victor Montagliani, who leads Concacaf, has also opposed Infantino. Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation, has made his view clear as well.
Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt has also joined the group calling for a change in leadership.
Three Fifa vice-presidents still support Infantino. They are Alejandro Domínguez of South America’s Conmebol, Patrick Motsepe of the Confederation of African Football and Lambert Maltock of Oceania.
Csanyi is also a member of the Fifa Council. The council has 37 members and is meant to be the main decision-making body within Fifa.
However, Csanyi said he had been repeatedly overlooked by Infantino. He said his belief that Infantino could lead Fifa in line with its shared values had been weakened.
“The final straw was the unexpected dismissal of Kevin Lamour,” Csanyi wrote.
The Hungarian official also raised concerns about several decisions linked to this year’s World Cup. He said some of the plans had caused serious concern among senior football officials.
One of his main concerns was Infantino’s reported involvement in plans to outsource Fifa competitions. Csanyi said such plans could place major Fifa events in the hands of outside groups.
The criticism comes at a difficult time for Infantino. His leadership has faced growing pressure from football officials in Europe, North America, Asia and other regions.
The dispute over Lamour has added to that pressure. His removal came after he challenged Infantino over plans linked to the commercial future of the World Cup.
The latest split also raises questions about Infantino’s support within Fifa’s senior leadership. With five vice-presidents now opposing him, the balance of support has changed sharply.
Infantino has led Fifa since 2016. He was later re-elected and has remained one of the most powerful figures in world football.
The growing opposition from senior officials could make his leadership more difficult. It may also increase calls for greater transparency over major Fifa decisions.
Csanyi’s letter does not simply question one decision. It raises wider concerns about how Fifa is being run and how major choices are made.
His decision means Infantino now faces opposition from a majority of Fifa’s vice-presidents. The coming months could show whether that pressure grows or whether Infantino can rebuild support within the organisation.
For now, Csanyi’s break with Infantino marks another major challenge to the Fifa president’s leadership.
