FIFA President Gianni Infantino will remain in office after receiving the backing of senior executives during a crisis meeting at FIFA’s Africa office in Rabat, Morocco according to the BBC. Infantino summoned members of the management board following intense global backlash over an aborted proposal to sell commercial rights and stakes in competitions—including the World Cup—to private investors through a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise.
FIFA Leadership Backs Gianni Infantino After Crisis Meeting
During the meeting, FIFA leadership acknowledged mistakes regarding the botched plan, admitting that member associations and the FIFA Council should not have felt excluded from the process. Infantino and secretary general Mattias Grafstrom signed a letter sent to vice-presidents, the FIFA Council, and 211 member associations stating that they sincerely apologised for their errors and committed to preventing them from happening again according to the BBC. Despite Grafstrom having previously sent an internal memo to staff describing the situation as a sad and reproachable series of events,
Grafstrom and the management board reaffirmed their full support for Infantino following the discussions according to the BBC.
Growing Calls for Resignation From Luís Figo and Mark Carney
Despite retaining executive backing and surviving the immediate push to remove him according to Sky Sports, Infantino faces severe ongoing criticism. Portugal legend Luís Figo called for the FIFA president to resign, describing the private equity scheme as the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed
according to The Guardian. Figo accused Infantino of deceiving the sport and attempting to feather his own nest at the expense of football.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also stated that he no longer has confidence in Infantino, arguing that failing to consult senior advisers and board members regarding such a major proposal should be fatal for any leader according to Yahoo Sports. The backlash follows widespread opposition from European football’s governing body UEFA—which previously stated it lost confidence in Infantino and labeled the initiative a shabby, back room, opaque deal
—as well as criticism from other regional confederations and national figures according to the BBC.
Fallout and Next Steps for World Football Governance
Following the withdrawal of the controversial proposal, FIFA issued a public statement warning that the organization would no longer tolerate attacks on its integrity, good governance, and due process, and would take all necessary measures to protect its reputation according to the BBC. Meanwhile, individual associations and critics continue to evaluate their options as tensions persist within world soccer according to Sky Sports.
FIFA’s next presidential election is scheduled to take place in March in Rabat, Morocco according to Yahoo Sports, with candidates facing a deadline of November 18 to enter the race according to Yahoo Sports. While Infantino has secured backing from specific members such as 2022 World Cup host Qatar according to Yahoo Sports and the Moroccan football association according to Reuters, questions regarding his future governance and the ongoing fallout from the aborted investment scheme remain unresolved according to Sky Sports.
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