‘Full support’ for FIFA president as pressure mounts
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FIFA has apologised for errors made over Gianni Infantino’s failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and that senior staff in attendance at a crisis meeting in Morocco “reaffirmed their full support” for his presidency.
World soccer’s governing body attempted to present a unified front amid the turbulence caused by Infantino’s controversial plans, with calls for him to step down.
In a statement, FIFA said secretary general Mattias Grafstrom and members of the management board in attendance in Rabat had given their support to the embattled president.
Referring to the plans to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), the statement said “mistakes made were acknowledged” and that the “process should have been handled differently.”
FIFA said a letter had been sent to FIFA Council and member associations apologising for errors and committed to “ensure they do not happen again.”
Grafstrom’s stated support was notable after he distanced himself from Infantino’s now abandoned plans in an email to all FIFA staff calling the last week a “sad and reproachable series of events.”
World soccer’s governing body said the FFE proposal was “now off the table.”
“There are always lessons to be learned and FIFA will continue to improve its processes in light of this experience,” it said.
Earlier on Wednesday (Thursday AEST), the association of European soccer leagues, which includes top competitions like the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, called for governance reform of FIFA after describing the proposal as “dangerous”.
In the statement, European Leagues hit out at the possibility of further expanding the World Cup to 64 teams and said “FIFA must not be allowed to continue taking unilaterally disruptive decisions.”
It said that until there was reform it would reject the “expansion or creation” of FIFA competitions.
Portugal and Real Madrid great Luis Figo also called for Infantino to step down, saying he had “debased the office.”
FIFA have also denied a British media report suggesting Infantino, in seeking support for his presidency, had offered Morocco the hosting of the final at the 2030 World Cup. Spain, Portugal and Morocco are the main co-hosts for the 2030 edition.
A FIFA spokesperson said it’s “false and misleading to claim the FIFA president has made any promise in relation to hosting the FIFA World Cup 2030 final.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the FIFA president committed a “fatal” governance failure by not consulting senior advisers.
“Certainly I don’t have confidence in Mr. Infantino,” said Carney, who had appeared alongside Infantino at several events during the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the US.
The latest condemnations of Infantino’s leadership come after a tumultuous week, which has raised questions about his presidency ahead of elections in March.
European soccer’s governing body UEFA has applied the most intense pressure by voting to boycott the World Cup if Infantino pressed ahead with the controversial plans.
UEFA says it has lost confidence in FIFA’s leadership — possibly paving the way for a challenge to his presidency. The governing body for North and Central American and Caribbean soccer (CONCACAF) also said FIFA leadership had “stopped putting football first.”
Wednesday’s summit was dubbed a “crisis meeting” amid growing expectation that Infantino will be challenged in next year’s election when he was aiming for to win a fourth and final term in office.
AP