Under Fire, Infantino Admits Mistakes and Retains High-Level Support
FIFA announced on Wednesday that President Gianni Infantino has publicly apologized for errors in the previous World Cup share sale plan, and revealed that at the summit in Morocco, the top Council members had "unanimously reaffirmed their full support" for him. This statement aims to quell internal turmoil sparked by the controversial move and calls for his resignation.
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Infantino made a "deadly" decision on the World Cup
- Legendary player Luis Figo also joined the calls for his resignation
FIFA's statement said that Secretary General Mattias Grafström and members attending the management committee meeting expressed support for the embattled president. The statement noted that the plan to sell World Cup revenue through the commercial entity "FIFA Future" (FFE) was "flawed" and acknowledged that "the process should have been handled differently." FIFA said it had sent letters to the Council and member associations to apologize for the errors, promising that "such an event will not happen again."
Grafström's public backing is particularly crucial, as he had previously distanced himself from the plan that Infantino had already abandoned, calling the past week a "series of regrettable and deplorable events" in an internal email. FIFA said Infantino also reaffirmed his support for the secretary general. The organization emphasized that the FFE proposal "is now abandoned," adding: "Every experience brings a lesson, and FIFA will use it to improve processes." However, the statement also warned: "FIFA will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance, and due process, and will take all necessary measures to protect its reputation."
Earlier Wednesday, the European Football League Association, comprising the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A, called for governance reforms at FIFA, saying the FFE proposal was "dangerous" and reflected deep concerns about how FIFA operates, raising "serious questions about governance, culture, and decision-making." The association said: "FIFA needs reform more than ever, and it must ensure that all stakeholders have a formal role in decisions that affect the future of the sport." It also criticized the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, saying it would "never allow FIFA to continue making destructive decisions unilaterally," and announced it would reject any "expansion or creation" of tournaments until reforms are completed.
Portuguese and Real Madrid legend Luis Figo also called for Infantino to step down, accusing him of "degrading the position." FIFA denied reports that Infantino promised Morocco the hosting of the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for support in his re-election bid. Spain, Portugal, and Morocco are the main co-hosts of the 2030 World Cup. Morocco hopes to host the final at the planned 115,000-seat King Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca; Spain has at least the stadiums of Real Madrid and Barcelona as competing venues. A FIFA spokesperson said: "Claims that the president made a commitment regarding the 2030 final host are false and misleading. The final host will be decided by FIFA at the appropriate time."
On the same day, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he no longer trusts Infantino, arguing that his decision-making without consulting senior advisors constituted a "fatal" governance failure. Carney said: "Of course I do not trust Mr. Infantino." He had attended several events for the 2026 World Cup (co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico) alongside Infantino.
The turmoil of the past week has cast doubt on Infantino's position ahead of the March election. European football governing body UEFA exerted the strongest pressure, voting to boycott the World Cup if Infantino pushed forward with the FFE plan. Even after Infantino backed down, UEFA said it had lost confidence in FIFA's leadership, potentially paving the way for a challenge to the president. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) also noted that FIFA's leadership "has stopped putting football first." Signs of internal division emerged, with FIFA's Global Football Development Director Arsène Wenger distancing himself from the FFE plan, Infantino's senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro resigning last week, and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour saying employees felt "betrayed" by the president's lack of transparency. Infantino aims to win his fourth and final term in the March election.