UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have accused FIFA President Gianni Infantino of a “fundamental breach of trust” over his failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors.

In an open letter signed by the three confederation presidents and their general secretaries, the bodies said Infantino’s actions undermined the institutions and stakeholders FIFA is meant to serve.

They described the attempt to commercialise an interest in the World Cup as a serious failure of judgment rather than merely a communication error, arguing that football should not be placed under the control of any individual.

The dispute has triggered growing opposition to Infantino, with UEFA previously threatening a boycott of FIFA competitions. Norway’s football federation has called for his resignation, while the English Football Association has withdrawn its support for his re-election next March.

However, US President Donald Trump has publicly backed Infantino, warning FIFA against replacing him following the collapse of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan.

“FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing president Gianni Infantino,” Trump said.

He praised Infantino’s leadership, saying the FIFA president had overseen what he described as the most successful World Cup ever and warning that the tournament would not be as successful or profitable without him.

FIFA recently apologised for mistakes surrounding the abandoned plan and said senior officials had reaffirmed their support for Infantino at a meeting in Morocco.

The three confederations, however, criticised the meeting, noting that no FIFA Council members or national member associations were invited.

They called for greater unity and leadership that serves football’s players, fans, clubs and member associations rather than seeking to control them.