Israel on Tuesday became the latest country to withdraw support for the reelection of FIFA President Gianni Infantino after his controversial bid to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, the Guardian reported.

A host of European federations have already scrapped their backing of Infantino, even as the world soccer chief hopes to survive the controversy as he bids for reelection at next year’s FIFA Congress.

Infantino, 56, had further inflamed critics on Monday by firing Kevin Lamour, the chief operating officer of the global soccer governing body, after Lamour publicly assailed Infantino’s now-abandoned plan.

The FIFA president, who expected earlier this year to easily win a fourth term at the FIFA Congress in March 2027, was already hemorrhaging support because of the plan from his erstwhile supporters, including UEFA, the union of European soccer associations, which Israel joined in 1994.

Infantino announced on August 1 that he was scrapping the plan, but UEFA announced later that day that it had lost confidence in him.

Infantino........

© The Times of Israel