The Football Association is preparing to withdraw its backing for Gianni Infantino’s bid for another term as FIFA president following the collapse of his controversial World Cup privatisation proposal.

The move comes amid growing opposition to Infantino’s leadership, with UEFA considering legal action over the abandoned plan and the Football Association of Wales already announcing that it no longer supports his re-election.

Infantino has come under increasing pressure after his unsuccessful attempt to sell stakes in the commercial operations of the FIFA World Cup to private investors, a proposal that has triggered widespread criticism within world football.

Wales became the first FIFA member association to formally withdraw its support for the Swiss-Italian, while England is expected to take the same step.

According to Sky Sports on Monday, the FA is set to notify FIFA in writing that it is withdrawing its support, adding to the mounting pressure on the FIFA president.

UEFA has also declared that it no longer has confidence in Infantino’s leadership, describing the proposed World Cup sell-off as a “shabby, backroom deal.”

The European governing body has informed Infantino that it is “actively considering” legal action over the failed proposal.

In a letter to FIFA, UEFA instructed Infantino and the organisation to “take immediate steps to identify, locate, and preserve all documents and electronically stored information described in this notice that are in your or Fifa’s possession, custody, or control.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andy Burnham described Infantino as the “wrong man” to lead FIFA, while the FA called for a “full and robust review” of his leadership as criticism continues to mount over the abandoned World Cup commercialisation plan.

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