ZURICH - Football appeared to be headed for a prolonged standoff on Aug 7 as allies of FIFA president Gianni Infantino rallied behind him while Norway demanded his resignation after several European associations withdrew their support.

Confederations and national associations continued to choose sides a week after Infantino abandoned his proposal to raise some US$4.2 billion (S$5.3 billion) by selling off a stake in the commercial rights of the World Cup and other tournaments.

Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness said Infantino no longer had the confidence of the football community, saying the sport needed to move beyond “Game of Thrones” power struggles and focus on real governance reform.

“He does not have the institutional trust required to govern FIFA stably in the times we are in. There is no going back for Gianni Infantino,” said Klaveness, a qualified lawyer.

“The international football cooperation is very much in trouble, and we must have a reason to get together now, and we want to ask the FIFA president to resign now.”

Meanwhile, European soccer’s governing organisation UEFA, which has 55 members, stood firm in its threat to boycott all events organised by the global body.

However, the football associations of Mexico and Argentina were the latest to throw their weight behind the embattled world soccer chief, following the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF)