Uefa announced it has "lost confidence" in Fifa President Gianni Infantino, citing the fallout from a recently scrapped proposal to sell stakes in the governing body's competitions to private investors. The European football authority's statement came after Infantino confirmed on Saturday that Fifa would no longer proceed with the controversial plan.

The decision to withdraw the investment proposal followed significant opposition from Uefa and other football governing bodies, with Uefa having previously voted to boycott World Cups if the plans went ahead. Uefa welcomed the withdrawal, calling it a "victory for the whole game."

In its statement, Uefa accused Infantino of failing to uphold promises made when he campaigned for the Fifa presidency in 2016, particularly regarding transparency and ensuring Fifa's funds serve the development of football. Uefa described the "shabby, back room, opaque deal" as being "anything but transparent."

The intense backlash and loss of confidence from Uefa place Infantino under considerable pressure as he prepares to seek re-election for a fourth term as Fifa president at the Fifa Congress in March. Uefa's statement explicitly read that "the current Fifa leadership has not only lost Uefa's confidence but also that of many other members of the football family."

Infantino's campaign promises in 2016 emphasized transparency, stating, "The money of Fifa is your money. It's not the money of the Fifa president. You are the national associations and the money of Fifa has to serve for the development of football and not for anything else." Uefa contends that Infantino has failed to deliver on both these fronts.

Uefa had been highly critical of the investment proposals since they were first reported, with their statement also stating that "secret schemes of fast-track timescales cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game" cannot continue. The body called for those responsible for the plan to be identified and held accountable.

Furthermore, Uefa proposed developing its own plan in cooperation with other confederations to prevent similar issues from arising again. They also indicated a desire to work with partners to reform resource distribution through the existing Fifa Forward programme, suggesting that idle funds within Fifa's accounts should be used to support grassroots football.

The controversy highlights a significant rift between Uefa and Fifa's leadership, potentially impacting future governance and financial strategies within international football. The coming months will likely see further scrutiny of Infantino's leadership and Fifa's operational transparency.