FIFA President Gianni Infantino (C) leaves Al-Madina Stadium in Rabat following the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match between Malawi and Zambia on August 5, 2026. Infantino, under fire for a now shelved plan to open the World Cup to private investment, earlier held emergency talks in Morocco with directors of the world football governing body.
FIFA then issued an apology while reaffirming its “full support” for Infantino. In a statement, the leadership acknowledged “that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media”. (Photo by Abdelmajid BZIOUAT / AFP)
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has received the “full support” of senior directors on Wednesday but world football’s governing body apologised for the controversy of the now-shelved plan to open the World Cup to private investment.
Facing a barrage of criticism following the aborted plan, FIFA’s leadership acknowledged “errors”, while nonetheless backing under-fire Infantino following a crisis meeting in Morocco.
Infantino has come under increasing pressure, even from within his organisation, over his handling of the proposal, and calls for him to step down had grown since he abandoned it last Saturday.
