Gianni Infantino’s opponents are collaborating to create a new framework for managing world football, aiming to replace what they see as a patronage system established since his presidency began a decade ago. This initiative follows persistent calls from Uefa, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation for an independent review of FIFA’s governance, which Infantino has ignored since the controversial plan to sell off 21% of the World Cup was revealed two weeks ago.

A source informed the Guardian that these three confederations are drafting a new policy document to outline how FIFA could evolve moving forward. Key considerations include:

• FIFA's role and structure
• Governance model to be adopted
• Financial distribution among member associations, especially concerning FIFA’s estimated $5bn reserves

Should Infantino refuse to engage with this framework, it could be adopted by a challenger in next year’s presidential election or even serve as a foundation for a breakaway organization.

On Monday, a joint statement from Uefa, Concacaf, and the AFC emphasized the need for “leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it.” They hinted at preliminary discussions regarding new competitions if the standoff with FIFA continues. Notably, Uefa plans to boycott next month’s Under-20 Women’s World Cup unless FIFA establishes an independent review and guarantees against future sell-off issues.

Victor Montagliani, the Concacaf president, is viewed as a potential challenger to Infantino, although he focuses on his re-election as president of the North and Central American confederation. Senior figures from European football are set to meet in Salzburg during the Uefa Super Cup final, where Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin will discuss unity among European clubs to demand change at FIFA. Uefa remains committed to its boycott of FIFA competitions, pending satisfactory assurances regarding the current crisis.