The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture of South Africa, Gayton McKenzie, has posted the following on X:

"Africa should be cautious in joining the public lynching of Infantino. He has been very good to African football. We can debate his ideas but let’s not forget who has been a friend to us. Many of those calling for his head want the old status quo back too."

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

All the other recent controversies could not touch Gianni Infantino - from the way Saudi Arabia won the hosting rights to the 2034 World Cup, to US President Donald Trump's Fifa Peace Prize, to Folarin Balogun's escape from suspension at the World Cup.

This time though, it was a step too far for many. Not simply because of the optics of such a move, but also that it was kept secret from other senior members of the Fifa hierarchy and that the beneficiary of the deal would have been Joshua Kushner - the brother of Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law.

So Infantino had bridges to build with those closest to him, not just with the 211 national associations.

Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino's senior adviser on global strategy and governance, quit over the plan.

Others who were critical opted not to tender their resignations, such as Grafstrom, chief of global football development Arsene Wenger and chief operating officer Kevin Lamour.

It is likely there will be others within the corridors of power at Fifa who kept their counsel.

On top of this, Infantino may also have to map out - or could offer - a route for reform.

This may involve putting additional checks and balances in place that would make it impossible for such a plan to be devised and presented in this way again.

Perhaps he could shelve his plans for a 64-team World Cup? Or offer to open up Fifa's cash reserves?

Dan Roan
BBC sports editor

Some at Uefa claim Wednesday's statement shows exactly why the beleaguered president must step down.

The feeling within Uefa is that the statement was far from representative of the entire Fifa, and that there has been a lack of consultation with the council or membership.

There is also a view that Gianni Infantino is trying to swerve personal responsibility by sharing out the blame for the aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise plan, and that he alone should have apologised - rather than issue his expression of regret alongside his deputy Mattias Grafstrom.

In stark contrast, within Fifa, the view from one Infantino loyalist is that the outcry, especially in Europe, is bordering on "hysteria", and fails to acknowledge the legitimacy he has globally.

By clinging to power, Infantino has mounted the start of an attempted fightback. But it could yet fuel the revolt against him, both from outside and within Fifa. And it looks increasingly likely his opponents will have to identity the rival candidate that could challenge him at next year's presidential election.

UEFA

UEFA’s associations were very clear about the conditions attached to their non participation in FIFA competitions.

First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.

These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency. That position holds.

Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the FIFA President (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing.

Dan Roan
BBC sports editor

Image source, Getty Images

European teams could still boycott competitions including the World Cup as Uefa says Fifa's defence of its president Gianni Infantino "changes nothing".

In a statement, European governing body Uefa have said its conditions had not been met in reaction to Infantino's plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors, despite it being aborted.

"Uefa's associations were very clear about the conditions attached to their non participation in Fifa competitions," it said.

"First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.

"These conditions have not been met."

Uefa has already said it has lost confidence in Infantino, calling the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal a "shabby, back room, opaque deal".

"Uefa made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's presidency," the statement added. "That position holds.

"Yesterday's announcement that some people employed by the Fifa president (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing."

Fifa has been approached for comment.

Uefa have said they are still prepared to boycott Fifa competitions despite the withdrawal of Gianni Infantino's plans for private investment.

A statement from Uefa says they have received no assurances regarding the trustworthiness of Fifa, with Infantino set to stay as president.

We'll bring you more as this story develops.

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Since Gianni Infantino's election as Fifa president in 2016, member associations have been funded through the Fifa Forward programme.

The current iteration, Fifa Forward 3.0, sees every country paid up to £5.9m over a four-year cycle - which is a 30% increase on the previous one. Each confederation is handed £44.5m, too.

This expires at the end of 2026.

Fifa Forward has enabled Infantino to solidify his support base around the globe, especially among smaller countries which rely on Fifa's funding for football development.

As the Fifa presidential election draws closer, a new funding model must be announced. Will Infantino promise more money?

Image source, Getty Images

The Football Association continues to believe Gianni Infantino is no longer the right man to lead Fifa despite his own organisation throwing its “full support” behind him on Wednesday night, according to the Press Association.

FA sources had indicated earlier this week it was sending a letter to Fifa confirming it no longer supports his candidacy for re-election at next year’s Congress.

That position is understood not to have been altered by the apology offered to national associations by Fifa and Infantino over its handling of a plan to involve private investors in a company which would run the World Cup and other competitions.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has publicly withdrawn its support, along with the FAs of Serbia, Sweden and Finland.

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Uefa are still considering triggering a vote of no confidence in Gianni Infantino.

An extraordinary congress would be called if 43 countries were to request one. As Uefa has 55 member associations, it can do so when it wishes.

However, 106 of the 211 Fifa countries would have to vote for the motion itself - and at present there is a great deal of doubt that Uefa could reach that threshold.

As it would be three months before the extraordinary congress would be held, Infantino has plenty of time to build bridges around the world.

Infantino might be under pressure within Europe, but he still commands support elsewhere.

Image source, Getty Images

While Gianni Infantino has lost the support of several confederations and football associations, he still looks set to fight for re-election for a fourth term as Fifa president.

Ordinarily presidents can only serve three four-year terms, but Fifa say Infantino's first - which lasted three years between 2016 and 2019 - did not count as a full term.

The next election will be held at the Fifa Congress in Morocco in March 2027.

Rival candidates have until 18 November to put their names forward to stand against Infantino. He ran unopposed in both the 2019 and 2023 elections.

A candidate requires 106 votes from Fifa's 211 members to win.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

More from Oli Dugmore, on BBC Radio 5 Live about the money in football: "This World Cup made £15 billion in revenue for Fifa so it begs the question of how much more?

"I read some reporting from The Athletic that Infantino has become obsessed with the salaries of American sports league commissioners. That was the interesting thing about the whole Fifa Forward Enterprise plan - astute observers would have noticed the creation of the role commissioner who would be paid the salary of $30 million a year and would become available to Gianni Infantino at the end of his fourth term.

"You can understand the logic because so far, every attempt at further commodification and further commercialisation has been rubber-stamped at the end of the day.

"It starts with exploitative ticket prices - $1000 for a ticket to the World Cup final, nearly $40 grand, and hospitality packages for nearly $1 million.

"And then it affects the sporting side as well, he's happy to sell that too. He's happy to suspend the red card of Folarin Balogun and lift the suspension of Cristiano Ronaldo before the tournament.

"Or even, a game of two halves? Not anymore, a game of four quarters so Fox can show adverts."

BBC Radio 5 Live

Oli Dugmore, executive digital editor of the New Statesman, spoke to to BBC Radio 5 Live about the future of Fifa: "Where do we go from here? I think it's abundantly clear to me that Gianni Infantino should go. He's lost his credibility and he should resign. I don't think he has much political authority left - and I use the word political deliberately.

"But I've been thinking about this nostalgic view of football and I want to start with a quote -

'The whole game is riddled with corruption and the worst kind of shoddy commercialism because it has ceased to be a sport and remains only a spectacle'.

"That chap was writing about football for the London Evening Standard in February, 1925 about the transfer of Albert Pake which was quite controversial.

"So, it would be really comforting for us to say that Gianni Infantino, after prolonged exposure to American turbo capitalism has caught the disease, but if we're honest with ourselves then we have to look a lot closer to home and at the Premier League."

BBC 5 Live Breakfast

Former Uefa chief executive Lars Christer Olsson on Gianni Infantino's future as Fifa president: "I think I have to check with friends because the fight is starting and as I said before I don't think Infantino is going to lay down - so we'll have to see the activities the opponents are starting.

"They have to be more than 50% of the votes of 211 of course, but I think it will be a bumpy road right now because Infantino is going to fight so we will see what kind of support UEFA can create.

"This conflict between UEFA and FIFA is popping up from time to time, so I think the UEFA members' association have decided they will take a fight this time. But as we have seen before FIFA and their presidents also the last two, were quite good at mounting support when they needed it. So, it's difficult to predict."

Celestine Karoney
BBC Sport Africa

Speaking to the BBC after the FFE proposal emerged, football officials from Malawi and Uganda said Fifa investment had transformed the game both on and off the pitch, arguing such funding is vital given the financial realities facing many African nations.

"Malawi needs money. Malawi needs stadiums, our government cannot manage to give us even $1m (£740,000) every year for football," Malawi FA president Fleetwood Haiya told BBC’s Newsday programme in voicing his support for the FFE proposal.

"Our government is not able to make sure that they have medical supplies in hospitals [and] at the same time to look at football.”

But support for the project on the continent was not universal. Former Sierra Leone FA president and ex-Fifa Council member Isha Johansen was among African voices opposing it, warning it risked over-commercialising football asking, "what price does one have to pay in order to get to this elevated development for football in Africa?” Johansen urged African football chiefs to think carefully about the game's future.

Image source, Getty Images

While European governing body Uefa voted to boycott Fifa competitions, including World Cups, if plans weren't scrapped to sell stakes in those competitions to private investors, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) remained largely silent.

Much of that has to do with the close relationship between Caf, Fifa and Infantino.

Caf president Patrice Motsepe lauded Infantino for his "excellent work" after this year's World Cup and hailed the Swiss as "a good friend".

"He is loyal to Africa," Motsepe said on 22 July. "When people have been loyal to you, you never stab them in the back."

Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf, which runs football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, had all opposed Infantino's plan.

A lack of financial resources is a big reason for African member associations - many of whom rely on scant government funding - to back Fifa's proposals.

The lure of of $40m (£30m) from Fifa may have proven enticing to Caf's 54 member associations, especially as an initial $20m (£15m) could have been received as early as 1 January – provided the plans were approved by 19 September.

Celestine Karoney
BBC Sport Africa

South Africa's sports minister Gayton McKenzie has urged African football to resist what he called the "public lynching" of Fifa president Gianni Infantino. McKenzie added the continent should remember "who has been a friend to us" before joining calls for change.

McKenzie's support for Infantino echoes sentiments held by many African football bosses including Caf president Patrice Motsepe. Motsepe has previously described Infantino as "a good friend" who has been "loyal to Africa", although Caf never publicly stated its position on the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal before it was withdrawn.

Support for Infantino on the continent stems largely from Fifa's Forward programme, a funding scheme introduced by Infantino in 2016, that many African federations have become increasingly reliant on. The money has funded football projects from national teams, federation headquarters, stadiums to supporting FA operational costs in countries where government and commercial investment for the sport is limited.

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) holds its executive committee meeting today, with Infantino's investment plan on the agenda.

This has been overtaken by recent events to an extent, with Fifa having cancelled the initiative.

However, Caf could decide to publicly reaffirm its support for Infantino's re-election as Fifa president as a block of 54 member associations - which it first did in April.

Infantino's Fifa Forward programme has resulted in funding of $8m (£5.94m) for all nations in each three-year cycle. And that has earned a lot of loyalty.

Five of the seven African countries on the Fifa Council - Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania and Comoros - have already come out and backed Infantino.

While there remains strong opposition to Infantino within Europe and North America, this is not replicated globally and it shows why it will be so difficult to remove him.