Dbarta24 Sports Desk — FIFA President Gianni Infantino has issued a formal apology over a controversial proposal to sell commercial stakes in major FIFA tournaments to private investors.
Despite intense global backlash and criticism from within football’s governing body, Infantino will remain in his post after securing the backing of FIFA leadership during an emergency meeting in Morocco.
The operational crisis erupted following leaks revealing plans for a new commercial entity, FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE). Under the proposed framework, Infantino offered each of FIFA’s 211 member associations up to $40 million (£30 million) in exchange for supporting private investment in flagship tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
Backlash and Internal Apology
The scheme drew sharp criticism across European football, with UEFA declaring it had lost confidence in Infantino and describing the FFE project as a “substandard, secret, and opaque deal.”
Dissent also emerged within FIFA’s executive office. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström characterized the saga as a “regrettable and deplorable series of events” in an internal memo dispatched to staff on Tuesday.
However, following a four-hour summit at FIFA’s African headquarters in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday, the governing body issued a statement reaffirming its “full support” for Infantino.
In a joint letter sent to FIFA vice-presidents, council members, and all 211 member associations, Infantino and Grafström offered an explicit apology. The leaders extended their “sincere apologies” for the mistakes made during the process and pledged that “such an incident will not happen again in the future.”
Acknowledging Governance Failures
According to FIFA’s official statement, leadership conceded that the administration of the FFE proposal was deeply flawed and acknowledged that member associations and the FIFA Council were inappropriately bypassed.
The governing body admitted that the situation “should have been handled differently” and addressed errors that occurred even after details were first leaked by The Times on July 28.
Addressing wider governance concerns, FIFA emphasized that “any attack on integrity, good governance, and due process will no longer be tolerated, and all necessary steps will be taken to protect and preserve the reputation of the organization.”
Following the high-level meeting, Infantino and Grafström were seen attending a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match together in Rabat, signaling a unified front as FIFA attempts to move past the governance scandal.