FIFA: Support for Infantino and apology for the project

FIFA President Gianni Infantino received “full support” from senior officials yesterday, but the sport’s governing body found itself forced to apologize for the controversy sparked by its 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 yesterday, while simultaneously backing Infantino, who is under intense pressure. Infantino found himself in an enviable position even within his own organization due to the way he handled the proposal, with calls for his resignation mounting since he abandoned the project last Saturday.

In a statement yesterday, FIFA said its leadership acknowledged “mistakes were also made after the proposal was leaked to the media.” FIFA had stated after proposing the project that it 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 each of the 211 member associations with a one-time payment of $20 million in early 2027, in addition to raising funding allocations for the 2027–2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million.

Instead of serving as an incentive, however, it triggered angry reactions, most notably from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which threatened on Thursday to take the “nuclear option” of boycotting the World Cup. By Saturday, Infantino had admitted the error and withdrawn the plan. The Swiss-Italian stated, “Our goal has always been, and will always be, unity and development.”

Following yesterday’s meeting in Rabat, FIFA Secretary General and members of the executive board present in a statement said they “reaffirmed our full support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as the only official elected by the 211 member associations of FIFA.” The statement added: “The meeting also discussed the ‘FIFA Forward Enterprise’ proposal, where it was acknowledged 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 continued: “It was also acknowledged that mistakes were made after the proposal was leaked to the media,” revealing that “in a separate letter to the FIFA Council and member associations, an apology for these mistakes was offered alongside 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 leaked on Tuesday, in which he criticized the plan in a message sent to staff. FIFA’s statement said, “An assessment will now be conducted, and a report will be presented to the FIFA Council at its next meeting,” adding, “As previously published, the ‘FIFA Forward Enterprise’ proposal, which required approval from member associations and the FIFA Council, is now off the table.”

Later yesterday, Infantino, who was in Morocco to participate in celebrations of the Throne Day last week, attended a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match between Zambia and Malawi in Rabat. The FIFA president was seen alongside Moroccan Football Federation President Fuad Mova along with Fuad Mova at the entrance to the stadium, according to a photographer for Agence France-Presse. Morocco is scheduled to co-host the 2030 World Cup finals with Portugal and Spain.

Mova is among the few who have publicly expressed support for Infantino since his humiliating retreat from the plan, praising his decision last Saturday to withdraw the proposal as “wise” to preserve “unity and cohesion.” Infantino remains the only declared candidate for re-election as FIFA president. The 56-year-old needs a majority of votes from the 211 member associations to win a new, final four-year term. So far, a limited group of associations (Finland, Wales, Serbia, Sweden) has formally withdrawn their support for him.