Gianni Infantino Receives Internal Backing After FIFA Crisis Meeting as World Cup Investment Plan Is Dropped
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has secured the backing of senior officials following an emergency meeting in Morocco, even as criticism over his now-abandoned proposal to commercialize World Cup revenues continues to grow. The governing body confirmed that top executives reaffirmed their confidence in Infantino’s leadership after acknowledging mistakes in the handling of the controversial plan.
The meeting, held in Rabat, came at a crucial moment for FIFA after days of mounting pressure from football stakeholders, former players and governing bodies over a proposal to sell stakes in future World Cup profits through a commercial subsidiary known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The initiative sparked widespread concern about FIFA’s governance and decision-making process before ultimately being withdrawn.
FIFA Acknowledges Errors in Handling FFE Proposal
In an official statement issued on Wednesday, FIFA said Secretary General Mattias Grafström and members of the organization’s management board who attended the Rabat meeting expressed their full support for Infantino’s presidency.
The organization admitted that mistakes had been made in the way the FFE proposal was presented and managed. According to FIFA, officials agreed that the process should have been handled differently and confirmed that the proposal is no longer under consideration.
FIFA also said a letter had been sent to members of the FIFA Council and all member associations apologizing for the errors. The organization pledged to improve its internal procedures to prevent similar situations in the future.
“There are always lessons to be learned, and FIFA will continue to improve its processes in light of this experience,” FIFA said in its statement.
Infantino and Grafström Reaffirm Working Relationship
The public endorsement from Secretary General Mattias Grafström drew particular attention after he had earlier distanced himself from the FFE proposal. In an email circulated to FIFA employees during the previous week, Grafström described the events surrounding the proposal as a “sad and reproachable series of events,” highlighting internal unease over the episode.
Despite those earlier remarks, FIFA said the secretary general joined other senior officials in reaffirming support for Infantino during the Rabat meeting. The governing body also stated that Infantino, in turn, reiterated his confidence in Grafström, signaling an effort to present a united leadership following one of the organization’s most challenging weeks in recent years.
Pressure on FIFA President Remains
Although FIFA has officially withdrawn the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal and apologized for the way it was handled, the controversy has not fully subsided. The governing body hopes the decision will help restore confidence among its members, but criticism from several major football organizations and prominent figures continues to raise questions about FIFA’s governance and the future of Infantino’s leadership.
European Leagues Demand FIFA Governance Reform
The pressure on FIFA intensified on Wednesday when the association representing European domestic leagues, including the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, called for significant governance reforms within world football’s governing body. In a strongly worded statement, the organization described the now-withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal as “dangerous” and argued that it exposed deeper concerns about FIFA’s internal decision-making processes.
According to the association, the proposal raised “serious questions about FIFA’s governance, internal culture and decision-making.” It urged FIFA to adopt reforms that would give key stakeholders a formal role in decisions affecting the future of the global game rather than allowing major initiatives to be introduced unilaterally.
The group also criticized the possibility of expanding the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams, warning that football’s governing body should not continue making disruptive decisions without broader consultation. It said that until meaningful governance reforms are implemented, it would oppose any further expansion or creation of FIFA competitions.
Luis Figo Calls for Infantino to Step Down
Former Portugal captain and Real Madrid legend Luis Figo also joined the growing criticism of FIFA’s leadership. He called on Gianni Infantino to resign from the presidency, saying the FIFA chief had “debased the office.”
Figo’s remarks added to the mounting pressure on Infantino as questions continue to be raised about FIFA’s governance ahead of the organization’s presidential election scheduled for March.
FIFA Rejects Claim Over 2030 World Cup Final Promise
FIFA also denied a British media report alleging that Infantino had offered Morocco the right to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup final in an effort to secure political support for his presidency.
The 2030 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Morocco hopes to stage the final at the proposed 115,000-seat King Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca, while Spain has multiple potential venues, including the home stadiums of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
A FIFA spokesperson dismissed the report, stating that it was “false and misleading” to suggest the FIFA president had made any promise regarding the selection of the final venue. The spokesperson added that FIFA will make the decision on the host stadium through its official process at a later stage.
Canadian Prime Minister Withdraws Confidence in Infantino
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also voiced concern over the controversy, saying he no longer has confidence in Infantino’s leadership. Carney described the FIFA president’s failure to consult senior advisers before advancing the FFE proposal as a “fatal” governance failure.
“Certainly I don’t have confidence in Mr. Infantino,” Carney said while commenting on the controversy.
His remarks came despite previously appearing alongside Infantino during events connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Growing Uncertainty Ahead of FIFA Elections
The events of the past week have increased uncertainty surrounding Infantino’s bid for a fourth and final term as FIFA president in the elections scheduled for March.
UEFA has emerged as one of the strongest critics of FIFA’s leadership. The European governing body had threatened to boycott the World Cup if the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal moved ahead and has since said it has lost confidence in FIFA’s leadership despite the proposal being withdrawn.
Meanwhile, CONCACAF, which oversees football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, said FIFA’s leadership had “stopped putting football first.”
Signs of internal disagreement have also surfaced within FIFA. Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger distanced himself from the proposal, senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned last week, and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour reportedly told staff they had been “deceived” by the lack of transparency surrounding the plan.
Despite securing support from senior executives at the Rabat meeting, Infantino continues to face significant scrutiny as FIFA attempts to move beyond one of the most challenging governance controversies of his presidency.
