Norway calls for Infantino to quit as FIFA Chief

Norway’s football chief Lise Klaveness has called for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to resign, saying he no longer has the institutional trust needed to lead world football amid a growing governance crisis.

Speaking to reporters after a monthly board meeting of the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) on Friday (August 7), Klaveness said Infantino had “run out of room to maneuver” and that his departure was necessary to restore unity within the global game.

“Gianni Infantino no longer has the institutional trust needed to effectively lead FIFA through the current crisis,” Klaveness said. “Relationships among key stakeholders in international football are in deep crisis. If football is to come together again, the FIFA president needs to resign.”

Klaveness, a lawyer and former footballer who has led the NFF since 2022, has long been a vocal critic of FIFA over issues including governance, transparency and human rights. Her latest comments come amid mounting criticism of Infantino over a controversial proposal involving the commercial rights to FIFA’s tournaments.

The Norwegian federation has also questioned FIFA’s handling of tournament and broadcasting rights, its decision to award former US President Donald Trump a controversial “FIFA Peace Prize” and other disciplinary decisions.

Klaveness has herself been mentioned as a potential candidate for the next FIFA presidential election, although she dismissed the speculation, saying the time was not right to discuss possible candidacies.

FIFA has acknowledged shortcomings in its communication with member associations over the disputed commercial plan and apologized for the lack of consultation, while maintaining that no constitutional or legal rules were violated.