Gianni Infantino’s position as world football’s most powerful administrator appeared more secure on Thursday after senior Fifa executives backed him to remain president despite his failed attempt to overhaul the commercial operations behind competitions including the World Cup.
Issued on: 06/08/2026 - 16:14
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Following a meeting with Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafström and members of the organisation’s management board in the Moroccan capital Rabat, Fifa issued a statement apologising for the way the proposals had been presented. “It was agreed that it was not the intention for the Fifa Council and Fifa Member Associations to feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently. It was further acknowledged that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media.” Last week, the British newspapers the Financial Times and The Times revealed an Infantino-backed proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in a new commercial rights entity called Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) to private investors. The deal would have raised about €3.8 billion. Infantino set for second term as Fifa boss Backlash from governing bodies The secrecy surrounding the plan and its potential implications for Fifa competitions provoked a backlash from Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf, which govern football in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and North and Central America respectively. Even after Uefa voted to boycott all Fifa competitions, Infantino blamed media coverage for misrepresenting the reforms. The 56-year-old eventually withdrew the plan. “The FFE proposal, which would have been subject to the approval of the Fifa Member Associations and the Fifa Council, is now off the table,” Fifa said in its statement on Wednesday. “With the project withdrawn, it was agreed that Fifa will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process and will take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard its name and reputation.”
