FIFA apologizes for its mistakes and pledges to prevent recurrence
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has secured the “full support” of senior officials, but the sport’s governing body found itself compelled to apologize for the controversy sparked by a plan to open the door to private investment in the World Cup. Facing a barrage of criticism after the plan was shelved, FIFA leadership acknowledged “mistakes” during an emergency meeting held in Morocco on Monday, while simultaneously backing Infantino, who has come under intense pressure.
Infantino found himself in an enviable position, even within his own organization, due to the manner in which he handled the proposal, with calls for his resignation mounting since he abandoned the project last Saturday. In a statement, FIFA said its leadership acknowledged “mistakes also made after the proposal was leaked to the media.”
Following the proposal, FIFA stated the plan could generate up to $4.2 billion, based on a valuation of $20 billion for a new commercial subsidiary named “FIFA Forward Enterprise,” which was intended to manage tournaments such as the World Cup and the Club World Cup. The project, if approved, would likely have provided a one-time payment of $20 million to each of the 211 member associations at the start of 2027, in addition to raising funding allocations for the 2027–2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million.
However, rather than serving as an incentive, it triggered angry reactions, most notably from UEFA, which threatened to boycott the World Cup. Infantino admitted the error and withdrew the plan. The Swiss-Italian stated, “Our goal has always been, and will always be, unity and development.”
After a meeting in Rabat, FIFA Secretary General and attending executive board members said in a statement that they “reaffirmed their full support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino as the only official elected by FIFA’s 211 member associations.” The statement added: “The meeting also addressed the ‘FIFA Forward Enterprise’ proposal, acknowledging that mistakes were made. It was agreed that the intention was not to make the FIFA Council and member associations feel excluded from the process, and that the process should have been handled differently.”
It further noted: “Mistakes were also acknowledged after the proposal was leaked to the media,” revealing that “in a separate letter to the FIFA Council and member associations, an apology was offered for these errors, along with a commitment to ensure they are not repeated.”
FIFA Secretary General Matthias Kamber is believed to have been among those present at the Rabat meeting; he was the recipient of an internal email sent to staff in which Infantino criticized the plan.
FIFA’s statement continued: “An assessment will now be conducted, and a report will be presented to the FIFA Council at its next meeting,” adding, “As previously stated, the ‘FIFA Forward Enterprise’ proposal, which required approval from member associations and the FIFA Council, is now off the table.”
The FIFA president was seen alongside Moroccan Football Federation President Fouzi Lekjaa at the entrance to the stadium. Lekjaa is among the few who have publicly expressed support for Infantino since he retreated from the plan, praising his “wise” decision to withdraw it to preserve “unity and cohesion.” He reaffirmed his support for Infantino “in all initiatives aimed at developing global football” during the ten years he has spent at the helm of FIFA.
Infantino had been riding the high of a major success with the World Cup, which was the largest ever with 48 teams and hosted by three countries for the first time. It appeared his bid for a fourth and final term would receive approval in Rabat next March, as no rival had emerged to challenge him. But all that changed last Tuesday.
