FIFA confirmed that Gianni Infantino will remain president following a crisis meeting in Rabat with senior officials. The gathering, attended by FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström and chief legal officer Emilio García Silvero, reaffirmed Infantino's leadership despite growing criticism over the now-abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which aimed to sell 21% of FIFA's commercial rights to private investors. In a formal statement, FIFA said Infantino has apologized in writing to the FIFA Council and all 211 member associations for failing to consult them on the plan, acknowledging that the process should have been handled differently and that errors were made after the proposal was leaked.
The organization emphasized that the FFE project is off the table and will not proceed, while also warning it will no longer tolerate attacks on its integrity or governance. A review of the decision-making process will be conducted, with findings presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting. Despite this, Infantino continues to enjoy full backing from FIFA's management board and secretary general. He is set to travel to Cali, Colombia on Thursday to attend the inauguration of new president Abelardo de la Espriella, signaling his intent to maintain an active global presence. UEFA and Concacaf, however, remain critical, with UEFA actively seeking a candidate to challenge Infantino in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for March in Rabat.
Infantino keeps his position even after admitting fault in bypassing FIFA's governing bodies on a major commercial decision. That he faces no immediate consequence may weaken calls for accountability from confederations demanding reform. The planned review offers a chance to address internal processes, but without binding changes, the balance between central authority and member inclusion remains unresolved.
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