FIFA President Gianni Infantino has expressed regret for his “mistakes” regarding a controversial plan to sell stakes in various competitions to private investors. However, he is set to remain in office after securing the support of FIFA’s top executives during a meeting in Morocco. Facing mounting criticism, Infantino convened an emergency meeting of the management board at FIFA’s Africa office in Rabat on Wednesday. Just four hours after the meeting concluded, FIFA—the global governing body of football—issued a statement expressing its support for him. The BBC reported this development online.
UEFA, the governing body of European football, had stated over the weekend that it had lost confidence in Infantino, describing the “FIFA Forward Enterprise” (FFE) proposal as an opaque, “closed-door” deal. Criticism came not only from UEFA but also from within FIFA itself, including from FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström, who attended Wednesday’s meeting. In an internal memo sent to staff on Tuesday, Grafström had described the entire situation as regrettable and a deplorable turn of events. However, in a joint statement released after the meeting, Grafström and the management board reaffirmed their full support for Infantino.
Infantino and Grafström also sent a joint letter—seen by the BBC—to FIFA vice-presidents, the Council, and the football associations of the 211 member nations. In it, they expressed sincere regret and pledged to ensure such errors do not recur in the future. Following the meeting, the two were also seen together watching a match of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat.
Infantino had previously proposed that each member association would receive $40 million if they supported a plan to bring in private investment for various tournaments—including the men’s and women’s World Cups—through a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). FIFA stated that the errors regarding FFE were acknowledged during Wednesday’s meeting. The organization stated that it had no intention of making the FIFA Council and member associations feel excluded from the process, and acknowledged that the matter should have been handled differently.
FIFA also admitted that mistakes were made after the proposal was leaked to the media. The Times first reported on Infantino’s plan on July 28. However, FIFA simultaneously declared that it would no longer tolerate attacks on the organization’s integrity, governance, or due process, and that all necessary measures would be taken to protect its name and reputation.
Earlier, a report in The Times claimed that Infantino had promised Morocco the right to host the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for their support. FIFA dismissed this claim as false and misleading, stating that the decision regarding the venue for the final of the tournament—jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco—would be made in due course. Infantino hopes this support will put an end to one of the biggest controversies of his ten-year presidency. However, even before this show of support from FIFA executives, the Swiss official had faced harsh criticism.
Mark Carney—whose country, Canada, recently co-hosted the World Cup with the United States and Mexico—stated that he no longer has confidence in Infantino. Former Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Portugal winger Luís Figo demanded Infantino’s immediate resignation. Figo remarked that Infantino had devalued the very position he had promised to elevate to the pinnacle of prestige. It may be too late to salvage his own reputation, but it is not yet too late to save football. Nevertheless, the 56-year-old Infantino is preparing to run for re-election for a fourth term.
Rivals have until November 18 to submit their candidacies.
The election is scheduled to take place at the FIFA Congress in Morocco in March 2027. To win, a candidate must secure at least 106 votes out of the 211 member associations. However, UEFA might choose a different path; over the weekend, the governing body of European football expressed a loss of confidence in Infantino’s leadership and threatened legal action against FIFA. Earlier this week, several member associations, including Wales, withdrew their support for his re-election. It is believed that England might follow suit.
FIFA has reiterated that while mistakes were indeed made, all actions taken were in full compliance with FIFA’s regulations. According to the organization, the outcome of the meeting will strengthen FIFA’s governance and restore confidence in the body.
