Infantino retains Fifa presidency after executive meeting in Morocco
Gianni Infantino will continue as Fifa president following a meeting with senior executives in Morocco. This decision comes despite the governing body acknowledging that “mistakes” were made regarding a proposal to sell stakes in Fifa competitions to private investors.
The meeting took place in Rabat, where Infantino had convened members of the management board at Fifa‘s Africa office. Four hours after the meeting concluded, an official statement of support for Infantino was released by the organisation.
Executive Support Amidst Criticism
The proposal, known as the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), had drawn significant criticism. Uefa, European football’s governing body, had previously stated it had lost confidence in Infantino, describing the FFE plan as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal.”
Internal criticism also emerged, notably from Fifa secretary general Mattias Grofstrom, who attended Wednesday’s meeting. In an internal memo sent to Fifa staff, Grofstrom characterised the situation as “a sad and reproachable series of events.” However, a statement released after the meeting indicated that Grofstrom and the management board “reaffirmed their full support” for Infantino.
Infantino had offered Fifa‘s 211 member associations $40m if they backed the private investment proposal for tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, through the new FFE subsidiary. Fifa acknowledged during the meeting that “mistakes” concerning FFE were made, stating it was “not the intention” for the Fifa council and member associations to “feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently.”
The governing body also recognised that “errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media.” Fifa has since written to the council and member associations to apologise for these errors, with a commitment to prevent their recurrence. A review of the process is now expected.
Reactions and Future Challenges
The show of support from Fifa executives followed further criticism of Infantino. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed a lack of confidence in the president. Additionally, Luis Figo, a former player for Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Portugal, called for Infantino‘s immediate resignation, stating, “Infantino has debased the office that he promised to elevate.”
Figo, who ran for the Fifa presidency in 2015, condemned Infantino‘s plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors as “the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed.” He further added that the solution to Fifa‘s problems is simply: “Infantino must go.”
Despite the backlash, Infantino, who is 56, appears prepared to seek re-election for a fourth term. Potential rivals have until 18 November to put forward their names to stand against him. The election is scheduled to take place at the Fifa Congress in Morocco in March 2027, where a candidate will require 106 votes from Fifa‘s 211 members to win.
Uefa, however, may have different intentions. The European body had previously threatened legal action against Fifa and, earlier this week, several member associations, including Wales, withdrew their support for Infantino‘s re-election.
While Fifa acknowledged that “mistakes were made,” it maintained that all actions were in “full compliance with the Fifa regulatory framework.” The organisation believes the outcomes of the meeting will “strengthen Fifa‘s governance” and “restore confidence in the organisation.”
The city of Salé, across the river from Rabat, has been a focal point this week, with reports suggesting Infantino has been in the area. Infantino‘s aides have reportedly been contacting Fifa Legends, who serve as paid ex-player ambassadors, to encourage public support for the president. Concacaf has also criticised the Fifa president, though not to the extent of expressing a loss of confidence like Uefa.
Outside of Europe, Jordan is one of the few member associations that publicly called for Infantino to leave. Conversely, countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, DR Congo, and the Philippines have recently backed Infantino. These nations have reportedly benefited from funding through Infantino‘s Fifa Forward programme, which preceded FFE, receiving $8m in each three-year cycle.
Uefa faces the challenge of convincing these countries that an alternative presidential candidate could offer comparable financial programmes with increased transparency. Fifa denied a story that Infantino had promised Morocco the right to host the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for support, calling the claim “false and misleading.” A decision on the final’s location, with the tournament also hosted by Spain and Portugal, will be made “in due course.”
Source: bbc.com
