FA set to follow Welsh FA and withdraw support for Infantino

The Football Association is set to withdraw support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

The FA is to write to Infantino to withdraw a previous letter supporting his re-election in what is a sign of the co-ordinated approach Europe is taking to remove him from office as quickly as possible.

It follows the Welsh FA becoming the first football association to officially withdraw support for Infantino's re-election as FIFA president.

Many more letters and announcements are likely in the next few hours and days and it is all designed to put maximum pressure on Infantino.

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So far, Infantino has shown no sign of being ready to resign in disgrace and he has been trying to shore up his position by asking for support from the federations who still back him - mostly in Africa, Asia and South America.

Even if Infantino does manage to survive in the short term, he is now almost certain to face at least one challenger at the FIFA presidential election in Morocco in March.

The FA will have questions to answer about why it decided to send Infantino a letter of support in the first place. Its position was complicated by the fact that, for all his faults, Infantino was set to be the only candidate and it may have felt that it suited its own interests to continue supporting him.

FA chair and FIFA vice-president Debbie Hewitt was pictured handing Infantino an England shirt with his name on the back before England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina in Atlanta in July.

More to follow...