Fifa President Gianni Infantino Apologizes Amid Support from Governing Body
Embattled Fifa president Gianni Infantino has apologised for “mistakes” related to his controversial World Cup sell-off plan, but senior leaders at the governing body have “reaffirm[ed] their full support” for him after a crisis meeting on Wednesday.
Infantino was forced to abandon his plans to sell stakes in the World Cup and other Fifa tournaments to private investors following a public uproar last week. Uefa confirmed a boycott of Fifa events if the plan was approved.
On Tuesday, Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin Hussein accused Infantino of “blackmail” and, under increased pressure, called an emergency meeting with the Fifa management board in Morocco.
Gianni Infantino has retained the support of Fifa (PA Wire)
A letter released by Fifa on Wednesday evening, signed by both Infantino and Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, displayed a united front despite Grafstrom having previously described Infantino’s proposal as “sad and reproachable” in an email to staff.
In this letter, the president admitted that mistakes were made during the rollout of his sell-off plans, marking his first public apology regarding the scheme.
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“We acknowledge mistakes were made in the process of the proposed establishment of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE),” the letter stated.
“It was certainly not the intention for the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations to feel excluded from the process, and it should have been handled differently. We acknowledge that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media.
“We sincerely apologise for these errors and commit to ensuring they do not happen again. With this in mind, we will conduct a necessary review, and a report will be presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting.”
Infantino did say mistakes were made in the process of the World Cup sell-off plan (PA Wire)
Infantino dismissed any speculation about his potential resignation or being forced out by senior figures within the governing body, confirming a show of support for the embattled president.
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“For the avoidance of doubt, the FIFA Secretary General and the Management Board in attendance reaffirm their full support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as the only official elected by the 211 FIFA Member Associations,” the statement said.
“It was discussed and agreed at the meeting that the processes, communications, and interactions between the FIFA President, the FIFA Secretary General, and the Management Board that support the delivery of this vision can and should always be continuously improved in terms of their effectiveness and efficiency.
“We are fully confident that the outcomes of today’s meeting will strengthen FIFA’s governance, help restore confidence in the organisation, and enable us to prepare for the major events and challenges ahead in a united and transparent manner while continuing our mission to develop the game around the world.”
The statement further noted that any attacks on Fifa’s integrity or good governance would not be tolerated and suggested that the issue should be forgotten now that the sell-off plan has been rescinded.
Infantino also said attacks on Fifa’s integrity would not be tolerated (PA)
“The proposal, which would have been subject to the approval of the FIFA Member Associations and the FIFA Council, is now off the table,” the statement continued. “With the project withdrawn, FIFA will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance, and due process and will take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard its name and reputation.
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“There are always lessons to be learned, and we will continue to improve our processes in light of this experience. In this instance, however, it is important to stress that, although mistakes were made, everything that was done was compliant with the FIFA regulatory framework.”
Infantino, however, still faces criticism from outside Fifa, with several countries withdrawing support for his presidency ahead of the election in March 2027.
Real Madrid and Portugal legend Luis Figo, who serves as an adviser for Uefa, criticized Infantino on Wednesday, urging him to resign, saying, “I could write 10,000 words on the problems at Fifa. But the solution needs only three: Infantino must go.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also expressed a lack of confidence in Infantino, asserting that the Fifa president committed a “fatal” governance failure by not consulting senior advisers. “Certainly, I don’t have confidence in Mr Infantino,” said Carney, who previously appeared alongside him at several events for the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.