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Wednesday, August 19, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Israel withdraws support for embattled FIFA chief Infantino amid World Cup sell-off plan — report
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during a reception at Trump Tower with US President Donald Trump in New York, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Israel has become the latest country to withdraw its support for the reelection of Gianni Infantino, the embattled chief of the global soccer body FIFA, over fallout from his controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, the Guardian reports.
Several other countries have withdrawn their support for Infantino’s reelection, and the group’s COO, Kevin Lamour, was fired after criticizing the plan.
Israel’s withdrawal was stated in a letter from Moshe Zuares, who leads the Israel Football Association, according to the report.
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