The English Football Association is poised to formally withdraw its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, citing the fallout from his recently proposed, and now scrapped, plans to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors. This significant move by the FA follows similar sentiments from other major football bodies, including UEFA, which is reportedly considering legal action.

Infantino's leadership has come under increasing scrutiny in recent days after proposals emerged for a new commercial subsidiary, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would have allowed external investors to buy minority, non-controlling stakes in major FIFA events, including the World Cup. The intention was to create a new entity to run these competitions, with FIFA stating it would invite third parties to make investments.

UEFA has communicated its strong opposition in a letter to Infantino, indicating it is actively considering "legal action, arbitration, and/or regulatory complaints" in connection with the FFE plan. The European governing body has also demanded the immediate preservation of all relevant documents and electronically stored information related to the proposal, regardless of any existing document retention policies.

The implications of the FA's potential withdrawal of support are substantial, potentially weakening Infantino's standing within world football's governing body. The controversy has already led to public questioning of his leadership by governing bodies in Europe, North and Central America, and the Caribbean, with UEFA and CONCACAF releasing critical statements.

Infantino had previously written to all 211 FIFA member associations, offering them $40 million (£30 million) each if they backed his proposal, with an initial $20 million (£15 million) available by a deadline of September 19. The proposed investor group for FFE was reportedly led by Thrive Eternal, an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner.

UEFA's detailed request for document preservation specified a wide range of communications, including emails, instant messages (WhatsApp, Signal, Teams, Slack, etc.), SMS, written correspondence, and meeting notes. These requests extended to any FIFA officer, employee, committee member, consultant, agent, or any FIFA member association, confederation, broadcaster, sponsor, or financial institution involved.

The deadline of September 19, mentioned by UEFA in its retention notice, highlights the urgency and critical nature of the information sought by the European governing body as it assesses its legal and regulatory options. The situation raises questions about transparency and the governance of major international football events.

While FIFA has been approached for comment by BBC Sport, no official statement has yet been released regarding the FA's impending decision or UEFA's legal considerations. The coming days are expected to bring further developments as football's governing bodies navigate this significant challenge to Infantino's presidency.