FIFA has reaffirmed its confidence in President Gianni Infantino following growing criticism over the governing body’s abandoned proposal to open the FIFA World Cup to private investment.
The decision was announced on Wednesday after a high level meeting in Rabat, Morocco, where FIFA’s senior leadership acknowledged mistakes made during the handling of the proposal and formally apologised to its member associations.
The controversy began after FIFA unveiled plans to establish a new commercial subsidiary known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would have managed major competitions, including the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Under the proposal, the new entity was expected to attract private investment valued at up to 4.2 billion dollars, based on an estimated enterprise value of 20 billion dollars. FIFA also projected that the initiative would allow each of its 211 member associations to receive a one time payment of 20 million dollars in early 2027, while increasing their funding allocation for the 2027 to 2030 cycle from 8 million dollars to 20 million dollars.
Instead of receiving widespread support, the proposal triggered sharp opposition from football stakeholders across the world. Critics argued that such a significant decision was introduced without adequate consultation, raising concerns over transparency and governance.
The backlash intensified when the Union of European Football Associations, UEFA, threatened to boycott the World Cup if the proposal moved forward. Faced with mounting resistance, Infantino announced last Saturday that the plan had been withdrawn.
Speaking after the reversal, the FIFA president said the organisation’s primary objective had always been to promote unity and improve the global game.
Following Wednesday’s meeting, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom and members of the FIFA Management Board reaffirmed their full support for Infantino, describing him as the only official elected by all 211 FIFA member associations.
In a statement released after the meeting, FIFA admitted that the process surrounding the proposal had not been properly managed. The organisation acknowledged that member associations and the FIFA Council should have been more actively involved before the plan became public.
The statement also admitted that additional mistakes were made after details of the proposal leaked to the media. FIFA said it had apologised directly to its member associations and pledged to ensure similar errors are not repeated in the future.
The governing body confirmed that a full review of the events leading to the controversy will be conducted, with its findings to be presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting.
FIFA also made it clear that the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal has now been completely withdrawn and will no longer be considered.
Among those believed to have attended the meeting was Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, whose internal email criticising the proposal was recently leaked, further exposing divisions within the organisation.
Later on Wednesday, Infantino attended the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match between Zambia and Malawi in Rabat, where he was seen alongside Moroccan Football Federation President Fouzi Lekjaa.
Morocco is set to co host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, and Lekjaa has remained one of the few football administrators to publicly defend Infantino throughout the controversy. He praised the FIFA president’s decision to abandon the proposal, describing it as a move that preserved unity within world football. Lekjaa also commended Infantino’s leadership over the past decade and expressed support for his efforts to develop the global game.
Before the controversy, Infantino had enjoyed strong momentum following the successful staging of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, which featured 48 teams and was jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. His expected bid for a fourth and final term as FIFA president, due for consideration in Rabat next March, had appeared almost certain to succeed, with no challenger emerging.
That optimism faded after criticism of the investment proposal gathered pace.
UEFA strongly condemned the plan, describing it as an opaque agreement that lacked transparency and proper consultation. The European governing body also stated that it had lost confidence in FIFA’s current leadership.
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, CONCACAF, was equally critical, calling for a thorough review of the current administration while questioning Infantino’s leadership and governance.
Adding to the pressure, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country co hosted the 2026 FIFA World Cup, said on Wednesday that he no longer had confidence in Infantino’s ability to continue leading world football.
