FIFA President Gianni Infantino has retained the backing of senior officials following a crisis meeting in Rabat, where management board members and Secretary-General Mattias Grafström reaffirmed their support. The gathering came after widespread condemnation of Infantino's now-abandoned plan to sell stakes in World Cup profits through a commercial entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). FIFA admitted "mistakes were made" and acknowledged the process "should have been handled differently," issuing an apology to the FIFA Council and member associations. The proposal has been officially withdrawn.
Infantino also confirmed his continued trust in Grafström, despite the secretary-general's internal email describing recent events as a "sad and reproachable series of events." The FFE plan drew sharp criticism from European Leagues, which labeled it "dangerous" and called for governance reform, demanding formal stakeholder involvement in major decisions. It also opposed any unilateral expansion of FIFA tournaments, including a proposed 64-team World Cup. Portugal and Real Madrid legend Luis Figo urged Infantino to resign, accusing him of debasing the office. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated he no longer has confidence in Infantino, citing a "fatal" governance failure for not consulting top advisers.
UEFA has threatened to boycott the World Cup if such initiatives resurface, and CONCACAF claimed FIFA leadership had "stopped putting football first." Internal dissent emerged as global football development chief Arsène Wenger distanced himself from the FFE plan, while senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned and COO Kevin Lamour said staff felt deceived. FIFA denied a report that Infantino offered Morocco hosting rights to the 2030 World Cup final, calling the claim "false and misleading." A decision on the final's location will be made in due course. Infantino faces re-election in March.
Infantino remains in power despite admitting flawed decision-making and losing confidence from key football nations and executives. That support within FIFA's leadership persists despite public dissent suggests internal accountability mechanisms are not aligned with global expectations. The upcoming March election will test whether institutional loyalty outweighs demands for transparent governance.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
