FIFA president Gianni Infantino will remain in office after securing the backing of senior executives during a crisis meeting in Rabat, according to INKL. World soccer’s governing body attempted to present a unified front amid turbulence caused by controversial plans to sell a 20% stake in a new commercial rights entity to private investors in a deal that would have raised about $4.2 billion for football development, reported by Economictimes.
Gianni Infantino Secures FIFA Leadership Support at Crisis Meeting in Rabat
Following the gathering, FIFA confirmed that Secretary-General Mattias Grafström and members of the management board in attendance reaffirmed their full support for the embattled president. The meeting included discussions between Infantino, Grafström, and chief legal officer Emilio García Silvero, as detailed by INKL. Infantino is aiming to win a fourth and final term in office at the March elections, which will also take place in Rabat, as noted by Apnews and INKL.
Apology Issued Over Abandoned Commercial Proposal
Referring to the abandoned plans to sell profits through a commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), FIFA acknowledged that mistakes were made and stated that the process should have been handled differently. According to NPR, a letter was sent to the FIFA Council and 211 member associations apologizing for errors and committing to ensure they do not happen again.
The FFE proposal, which would have seen 21% of FIFA’s commercial rights sold to private investors, is now permanently off the table, according to NPR and INKL. Grafström’s stated support was notable after he previously distanced himself from the plans in an email to all FIFA staff, calling the prior week a sad and reproachable
series of events. Chief operating officer Kevin Lamour also stated that staff were deceived by the lack of openness, while senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned. Additionally, Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global football development, stated he was not involved in drafting the proposal and called the decision to withdraw it absolutely necessary, as reported by Economictimes.
Mounting External Criticism and Governance Concerns
Despite the leadership backing in Rabat, Infantino faces substantial external pressure. The association of European soccer leagues—including the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A—called for governance reform and stated that FIFA must not be allowed to take unilateral disruptive decisions, threatening to reject the expansion or creation of FIFA competitions until reforms occur, according to Apnews.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that he no longer has confidence in Infantino, describing the failure to consult senior advisers and executives on the abandoned proposal as a fatal governance failure. Furthermore, Portugal and Real Madrid great Luis Figo called for Infantino to step down, stating that he had debased the office, and UEFA Vice-President Laura McAllister noted the controversy has brought the leadership to a crisis point. The North and Central American and Caribbean soccer confederation (CONCACAF) also stated that FIFA leadership had stopped putting football first.
Denial Over 2030 World Cup Final Rumors
FIFA formally addressed and denied a British media report suggesting that Infantino offered Morocco the hosting of the final at the 2030 World Cup in exchange for presidential support. Spain, Portugal, and Morocco are the main co-hosts for the 2030 tournament, with Morocco hoping to host the final at the planned 115,000-seat King Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca, while Spain features contenders in Madrid and Barcelona.
A FIFA spokesperson stated it is false and misleading to claim the FIFA president has made any promise in relation to hosting the FIFA World Cup 2030 final,
adding that a decision will be made by FIFA in due course.
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