Gianni Infantino has apologised for what he called errors in his controversial plans to sell stakes in Fifa competitions to private investors, but will remain as Fifa president after receiving the backing of senior executives. The support came in a statement released four hours after a meeting of the management board in Rabat, Morocco.
Infantino summoned members of the management board to Fifa’s Africa office on Wednesday following mounting criticism of his aborted proposals. European football’s governing body Uefa said at the weekend that it had lost confidence in Infantino, describing the Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal as a ‘shabby, back room, opaque deal’.
Much of the criticism has come from within Fifa, including secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, who attended Wednesday’s meeting. In an internal memo sent to staff on Tuesday, he described the situation as ‘a sad and reproachable series of events’. Following the meeting, however, Grafstrom and the management board reaffirmed their full support for Infantino as president.
Infantino and Grafstrom also sent a signed letter, seen by the BBC, to Fifa’s vice-presidents, council and 211 member associations, saying they sincerely apologise for their errors and commit to them not happening again. The pair were later pictured attending a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match together in Rabat.
Infantino had offered all associations $40m if they backed a proposal for private investment in Fifa tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, through a new subsidiary called FFE. Fifa said mistakes regarding FFE were acknowledged during the meeting, adding it was not the intention for the council and member associations to feel excluded from the process. The organisation also acknowledged that errors were made after the proposal was leaked to media, with the Times having broken the story on 28 July.
Fifa said it will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process, and will take measures to protect its name and reputation. Separately, Fifa denied a Times report claiming Infantino had promised Morocco the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for its support, calling it false and misleading. It said a decision on the final venue, with the tournament also hosted by Spain and Portugal, would be made in due course.
Fresh criticism despite show of support
The backing from Fifa executives followed further stinging criticism of Infantino. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country hosted the recent World Cup alongside the United States and Mexico, said he no longer had confidence in him.
Former Barcelona, Real Madrid and Portugal winger Luis Figo, who once ran for the Fifa presidency, called on Infantino to resign immediately. Figo said: “It is too late to save his dignity but it is not too late to save football.”
Infantino, 56, looks set to fight for re-election for a fourth term. Rivals have until 18 November to put their names forward, with the election due at the Fifa Congress in Morocco in March 2027. A candidate requires 106 votes from Fifa’s 211 members to win.
Uefa’s dilemma over global support
Uefa has threatened legal action against Fifa and said it has lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership. Several member associations, including Wales, have withdrawn support for his re-election, with England set to follow.
However, only Concacaf has criticised Infantino among other confederations, without going as far as Uefa. Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, DR Congo and the Philippines have all backed Infantino in recent days, with such countries having benefited from funding through his Fifa Forward programme.
Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy and governance, quit over the plan, while others critical of the proposal, including Grafstrom, Arsene Wenger and Kevin Lamour, did not resign. Fifa said it felt the outcomes of Wednesday’s meeting would strengthen its governance and restore confidence in the organisation.
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