Italy’s national football federation, FIGC, has withdrawn its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, dealing a fresh blow to his bid for re-election at next year’s FIFA Congress.

The FIGC announced the decision on Wednesday, saying it was aimed at clearly expressing its position on recent initiatives promoted by Infantino concerning the governance and development of international competitions.

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The development comes amid growing opposition to Infantino from several European football associations, with England, Ireland and Wales also reportedly having withdrawn their backing.

Infantino has faced mounting pressure over his now-abandoned plan to attract private investment into FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup.

The proposal had raised concerns among European football authorities about the governance and direction of international football.

UEFA, European football’s governing body, has also threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions over the issue.

FIGC President Giovanni Malagò said Italy would continue working with UEFA and other European federations to promote a vision of football centred on merit, solidarity, sustainability and the interests of fans.

“We will continue to work alongside UEFA and the other European federations to promote a vision of football based on merit, solidarity, sustainability and the central role of the fans,” Malagò said.

He added that the federation supported a model based on dialogue, listening and shared responsibility, which he said had enabled football to grow and innovate while preserving its founding principles.

Infantino, 56, a former UEFA secretary-general, had enjoyed broad support from European football associations when he succeeded Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in 2016.

However, Italy’s decision to withdraw its backing adds to the growing pressure surrounding his leadership as he seeks another term at the helm of world football.

Ethiopia has officially submitted its bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), more than 50 years after it last staged the continental football tournament.

The Ethiopian Football Federation confirmed the development in a post on X on Monday, declaring the country’s readiness to host what it described as Africa’s biggest football event.

“Ethiopia has formally submitted its bid to CAF to host AFCON 2028,” the federation said, reaffirming the nation’s full readiness to host the tournament.

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Ethiopia last hosted the AFCON in 1976. Its capital, Addis Ababa, is also the headquarters of the African Union.

However, the country’s bid could face significant challenges, particularly security concerns arising from ongoing insurgencies in Amhara and Oromia, the country’s two most populous states.

There are also concerns over the possibility of renewed conflict between the federal government and the northern Tigray region.

On the footballing front, Ethiopia ranks 143rd out of 211 countries in the latest FIFA rankings. The national team last featured at the AFCON in 2022 but failed to progress beyond the group stage.

Morocco hosted the most recent AFCON, while the 2027 edition is scheduled to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

The 2028 tournament is expected to mark a major change in the competition’s calendar, as AFCON is set to move from a biennial event to a four-year cycle, aligning it more closely with other major FIFA competitions.

Meanwhile, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have also expressed interest in jointly hosting the 2032 AFCON.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has sacked the technical crew of the Super Falcons following the team’s failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The NFF Executive Committee directed members of the technical crew to step down from their positions with immediate effect on Monday.

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“The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has asked members of the technical crew of the @NGSuper_Falcons to step down with immediate effect,” the federation said in a post on X.

The decision follows a disappointing campaign by the nine-time African champions at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Falcons suffered a historic quarter-final exit after losing 1-0 to Cameroon, marking the first time Nigeria had been eliminated at that stage of the competition.

The defeat also denied Nigeria an automatic qualification ticket for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, forcing the Falcons into the African playoffs.

Nigeria’s hopes of securing a place at the tournament suffered another blow in the playoffs when the team lost 2-1 to South Africa’s Banyana Banyana.

The defeat ended the Super Falcons’ hopes of featuring at the 2027 Women’s World Cup and prompted the NFF to take immediate action against the technical crew.

The development represents a major setback for the Super Falcons, who have long been one of Africa’s most successful women’s football teams.