FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called an emergency meeting of senior officials in Rabat, Morocco, as pressure mounts over the governing body’s abandoned plan to bring private investors into a company set up to manage its tournaments.
The meeting, expected to involve FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom and members of the organisation’s management board, comes amid growing calls for Infantino to be held accountable following the collapse of the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.
The proposal, first revealed by The Times and the Financial Times, sought to establish a company to oversee the commercial and operational management of FIFA competitions, with plans to sell a 20% stake to private investors.
However, the plan sparked fierce opposition from major football confederations, including UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). UEFA reportedly warned it could boycott FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, if the proposal went ahead, prompting FIFA to abandon the project.
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global football development, distanced himself from the proposal and backed its withdrawal.
“I was not involved” in the plans, Wenger said, adding that abandoning the project was “absolutely necessary and beyond question.”
He also reaffirmed his support for the organisation, saying: “I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity.”
Pressure grows on Infantino
Despite FIFA’s decision to scrap the investment plan, criticism of Infantino has continued to intensify.
UEFA has said it has “lost confidence” in the FIFA president, while football associations including England and Wales have reportedly withdrawn their support. The Scottish Football Association is also understood to be backing UEFA’s position.
According to the Press Association, members of the FIFA Council are attempting to secure the 19 votes required to demand a meeting to hold Infantino accountable over the FFE proposal and his handling of the Folarin Balogun case.
If they fail to obtain enough support, opponents are reportedly considering a “governance boycott” that could disrupt FIFA’s decision-making processes.
FIFA reassures staff amid turmoil
In a message to employees, FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom described the past week as a “sad and reproachable series of events” but said the project had now been “permanently abandoned.”
He acknowledged staff had been “thrown into the middle of a turmoil, which is difficult to comprehend and accept.”
“You will be defended and safeguarded from the political context we currently experience,” Grafstrom told employees.
He added: “Individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go. The institution, its mission and its responsibility towards world football continue.”
The crisis follows the resignation of Infantino’s senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, last week.
Legal threat and corruption allegation
UEFA has also informed FIFA that it is actively considering legal action over the abandoned investment proposal, with lawyers reportedly instructing FIFA officials to preserve documents linked to the project.
Meanwhile, Jordan Football Association president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein has accused FIFA of “blackmail”, alleging on X that officials told him money owed to his association would be released if he voted for Infantino during the World Cup.
FIFA has acknowledged the allegations but has declined to comment.
Infantino is still believed to retain strong backing from many African, South American and Oceanian football associations, while the stance of Asian member associations is expected to play a crucial role in determining his political future.
