FIFA President Infantino Apologizes Over Investment Plan, Rules Out Resignation

 


Kathmandu — FIFA President Gianni Infantino has admitted making mistakes over a controversial plan to bring private investment into FIFA competitions and has publicly apologized. However, he has made it clear that he has no intention of resigning and will remain in office despite growing criticism.

Infantino acknowledged the procedural shortcomings after an emergency meeting of FIFA's Management Board held on Wednesday at the organization's African office in Rabat, Morocco. In a statement issued after the meeting, the board reaffirmed its full confidence in Infantino's leadership and pledged its continued support.

The controversy centers on the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative, which aims to attract private investment into FIFA competitions. The proposal has been criticized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which said it had lost confidence in Infantino due to what it described as a lack of transparency. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström also previously described the situation as "regrettable" and "unacceptable."

Following the meeting, Infantino and Grafström jointly sent a letter to FIFA vice presidents, council members, and all 211 member associations, apologizing for procedural errors and promising that similar mistakes would not happen again.

Under the proposal, Infantino had promised each FIFA member association US$40 million in exchange for supporting private investment in men's and women's World Cup competitions and other FIFA tournaments. However, media reports alleging that the FIFA Council and member associations were excluded from key decision-making processes sparked widespread criticism.

Amid the controversy, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he had lost confidence in Infantino, while former Portuguese football star Luís Figo called on the FIFA president to resign immediately.

Despite the backlash, the 56-year-old Infantino is preparing to seek a fourth term as FIFA president in the election scheduled to be held in Morocco in March 2027.

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