FIFA president Gianni Infantino has issued a personal apology to the organisation’s council and member associations after a botched attempt to sell a stake in the World Cup’s commercial rights to private investors triggered a wave of dissent, including threats of a no-confidence vote and a boycott from Uefa and its 55 national federations.
“Mistakes were made” – Infantino and secretary-general issue joint mea culpa
In a letter addressed to FIFA’s executive body and national associations, Infantino and general secretary Mattias Grafström acknowledged that the handling of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) had fallen short of expected standards.
“We recognise that mistakes were made in the process of the proposed creation of FFE,” the joint statement reads. “The FIFA Council and the member associations certainly did not wish to be excluded from the process, and this should have been handled differently. We also acknowledge that errors occurred after the proposal was leaked to the media. We sincerely apologise for these mistakes and are committed to ensuring they are not repeated.”
Rebel backlash: European federations withdraw support and Uefa issues ultimatum
The confidential proposal, first reported on 28 July, would have seen FIFA establish a subsidiary company and sell a 25% stake to external investors for a reported $4.2bn (£3.3bn). Within days, the plan unravelled amid fierce opposition.
Several European associations – including Sweden, Wales and Serbia – formally withdrew their backing for Infantino ahead of upcoming elections. Internal turmoil followed: chief operating officer Kevin Lamour accused Infantino of misleading staff, presidential adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, and Arsenal legend Arsène Wenger, now FIFA’s chief of global football development, insisted he had no involvement in the project.
Most significantly, UEFA and all 55 of its member federations announced a boycott of FIFA-sanctioned competitions and delivered an ultimatum: Infantino must resign or face a formal vote of no confidence.
Rabat summit: FIFA backs Infantino but kills off project with warning
At a crisis meeting held in Rabat, Morocco, on the eve of the apology, FIFA’s leadership circle – including Infantino, Grafström and board members – issued a statement reaffirming “full support for president Gianni Infantino as the sole office holder elected by the 211 member associations”.
However, the organisation also confirmed it had abandoned the FFE project entirely. In a pointed closing remark, FIFA warned that “with the withdrawal of the project, the organisation will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, principles of good governance or compliance with established procedures, and will take all necessary measures to defend its name and reputation.”
Infantino’s position remains fragile despite show of unity
While the Rabat communiqué projected a united front, the episode has exposed deep rifts between FIFA’s leadership and its European powerbase. The apology – rare in its candour for world football’s governing body – is seen by observers as an attempt to draw a line under a damaging saga that has raised fresh questions about transparency and decision-making at the sport’s highest level.
Whether the gesture will be enough to appease UEFA and restore fractured relationships remains to be seen, but for now, Infantino has survived – albeit with his authority visibly diminished.
