FIFA Reaffirms Support for Gianni Infantino
FIFA has publicly backed its president, Gianni Infantino, after senior officials renewed their confidence in his leadership despite the backlash over a scrapped plan to bring private investment into the sport’s flagship competitions.
The governing body acknowledged missteps in the handling of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal and issued an apology to its 211 member associations after a management board meeting in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday.
Infantino had introduced the FFE concept as a commercial subsidiary that would oversee tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and Club World Cup. FIFA claimed the venture could be valued at around $20 billion and attract up to $4.2 billion in private funding.
The proposal promised each member association a one‑off payment of $20 million in early 2027 and aimed to raise their funding for the 2027‑2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million.
However, the plan sparked fierce opposition. UEFA labelled it a “shabby, back‑room, opaque deal,” while CONCACAF called for “a comprehensive reckoning with this presidency.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also said he no longer had confidence in the FIFA president.
After withdrawing the proposal last Saturday, Infantino remarked, “Our purpose has always been and will always be to unite and improve.”
Following the Rabat meeting, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom and members of the FIFA Management Board released a statement confirming they had “reaffirmed their full support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as the only official elected by the 211 FIFA Member Associations.”
The statement also noted that mistakes made during the FFE process were acknowledged, that the process should have been more inclusive, and that errors occurred after the proposal was leaked to the media.
Infantino and Grafstrom subsequently sent a joint letter to the FIFA Council, vice‑presidents and member associations, saying they “sincerely apologise” for the missteps and pledging to avoid similar issues in the future.
FIFA confirmed that the FFE proposal has been abandoned and that a review will be conducted, with a report presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting.
Despite the controversy, Infantino attended the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match between Zambia and Malawi in Rabat, where Moroccan football federation president Fouzi Lekjaa praised his decision to withdraw the plan as a “wise” move for unity and cohesion.
FIFA also dismissed claims that Morocco had been promised the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for supporting the investment plan, calling the allegation “false and misleading.” The body reiterated that a decision on the final venue for the tournament — co‑hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal — will be made “in due course.”
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