Gianni Infantino Retains Backing as FIFA President Amid Mounting Criticism
Gianni Infantino will continue as FIFA president after receiving support from senior executives during a meeting in Morocco, despite the governing body acknowledging that “mistakes” have occurred.
Infantino called members of the management board to FIFA’s Africa office in Rabat on Wednesday, following increasing criticism over his aborted attempt to sell off stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors. The organization released a statement of support just four hours after the meeting ended.
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Uefa, the governing body of European football, expressed its loss of confidence in Infantino over the weekend, criticizing the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal.”
Significant criticism has emerged from within FIFA, including secretary general Mattias Grofstrom, who attended Wednesday’s meeting. In an internal memo to FIFA staff, Grofstrom described the situation as “a sad and reproachable series of events.”
Despite this, Grofstrom and the management board issued a statement reaffirming their “full support” for Infantino as president.
Infantino had proposed that FIFA’s 211 member associations receive $40 million (£30 million) if they supported a plan for private investments in its tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, through the new subsidiary, FFE.
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During the meeting, FIFA acknowledged the “mistakes” associated with FFE and stated that it was “not the intention” for the FIFA council and member associations to feel excluded from the process. FIFA committed to handling matters differently in the future.
Additionally, the organization recognized that errors were made after the proposal was leaked to the media, with the Times first reporting on Infantino’s plan on July 28.
FIFA has since written to the council and member associations, apologizing for these errors and ensuring that such mistakes will not occur again, while also announcing a review of the situation.
In its statement, FIFA also declared it “will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process” and will take necessary measures to protect its name and reputation.
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Internal support after more criticism
Infantino is likely hoping to move past this latest controversy, which is viewed as one of the most significant during his decade-long tenure.
However, the support from FIFA executives comes in the wake of continued criticism from various figures. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country jointly hosted the recent World Cup with the United States and Mexico, stated he no longer has confidence in Infantino.
Former Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Portugal star Luis Figo, who previously ran for the FIFA presidency in 2015, has urged Infantino to resign immediately, asserting, “Infantino has debased the office that he promised to elevate. It is too late to save his dignity but it is not too late to save football.”
Despite the pushback, Infantino, 56, appears set to pursue re-election for a fourth term. Rivals have until November 18 to declare their candidacies, with the election scheduled for the FIFA Congress in Morocco in March 2027. A candidate needs 106 votes from FIFA’s 211 members to win.
However, Uefa may have different plans. Over the weekend, the organization revealed it had lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership and has threatened legal action against FIFA.
Earlier in the week, a number of member associations, including Wales, withdrew their support for Infantino’s re-election, with England expected to follow. FIFA stated that, although “mistakes were made, everything that was done was done in full compliance with the FIFA regulatory framework.”
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It seems unlikely that such statements and the backing from executives will lessen Uefa’s anger.