Platini: Infantino must leave because he did not respect the laws

Former UEFA president Michel Platini, speaking on Canal+, stated that FIFA president Gianni Infantino “must step down” because he has not “respected the laws” of the game. Platini, a three-time Ballon d’Or winner, said: “Economic matters are one thing, but I believe Infantino has failed because, as the guarantor of the laws of the game, he has not respected them. The advertising breaks (hydration breaks systematically introduced during the 2026 World Cup) are not in the laws, nor is the 30-minute halftime break in the final match. As for the red card, that is the worst.” He added: “He is the guarantor of the laws, yet he does not respect them, so he must step down,” in reference to the overturning of the red card issued to American forward Folarin Balogun during the World Cup following intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Since the conclusion of the tournament held this summer in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the FIFA president has faced immense pressure after the unveiling of his failed project to open the World Cup to private-sector investors. UEFA, allied with CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation, is leading an opposition campaign in an attempt to oust the head of the global governing body, who has held office since 2016 and intends to run for a new term at the congress scheduled to take place in Morocco in March 2027.

UEFA has filed a complaint under Swiss law against Infantino on charges of “mismanagement,” while simultaneously seeking a candidate to challenge the Italian-Swiss official in the 2027 elections. Platini said: “This will not be resolved through sports bodies, nor will he fall through them. I believe that if UEFA wants to remove Infantino, it will be through the courts.” The former French national team captain added: “I always knew he loved money and power very much.”

Platini was once seen as the likely successor to lead FIFA before being barred from the race due to fraud allegations, which ended with a final acquittal verdict in Switzerland in August 2025. He believed that his removal at the time paved the way for the unexpected election of his secretary general, Infantino, in February 2016. He clarified: “He did not cause my downfall, but he benefited from it. But now, with numerous ongoing investigations into him around the world, there are rumors that he was aware of certain matters. Let us wait to see what the next episode reveals.”

Platini had previously filed a complaint in June against Infantino on charges of “malicious prosecution” and “abuse of power.” He concluded with a smile: “I did this in France, because my chances of winning in Switzerland are not great.”