FIFA president Gianni Infantino has apologised for mistakes surrounding a controversial proposal to sell stakes in the governing body's competitions to private investors but will remain in office after receiving the backing of FIFA's senior management.
Infantino convened an emergency meeting of FIFA's management board at the organisation's Africa office in Rabat, Morocco, following growing criticism over the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.
Following the meeting, FIFA issued a statement reaffirming its confidence in Infantino's leadership.
In a joint letter signed by Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom and sent to FIFA vice-presidents, council members and all 211 member associations, the pair apologised for the handling of the proposal and pledged that similar mistakes would not happen again.
"We sincerely apologise" for the errors, the letter said, adding that they were committed to ensuring they were not repeated.
Criticism over investment plan
The FFE proposal would have allowed private investors to acquire stakes in FIFA competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups. Reports suggested member associations were offered up to $40 million in funding if they supported the plan.
The proposal drew sharp criticism from within and outside FIFA, with UEFA describing it as a "shabby, back room, opaque deal" and stating that it had lost confidence in Infantino's leadership.
FIFA acknowledged that mistakes had been made during the consultation process, admitting member associations and the FIFA Council should not have felt excluded from discussions.
The governing body also conceded that further errors were made after details of the proposal were leaked to the media.
However, FIFA insisted all actions had complied with its regulatory framework and said it would defend the organisation against attacks on its governance and integrity.
Pressure remains despite backing
Despite the show of support from FIFA's management, pressure on Infantino continues to mount.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he no longer had confidence in the FIFA president, while former Portugal international Luis Figo called on Infantino to resign, saying he had "debased the office" he once promised to reform.
Several UEFA member associations, including Wales, have withdrawn support for Infantino's bid for another term, with England expected to follow.
Nevertheless, Infantino appears set to seek a fourth term as FIFA president when elections are held during the FIFA Congress in Morocco in March 2027.
Candidates have until November 18 to enter the race, with a successful challenger requiring the support of at least 106 of FIFA's 211 member associations.
Global support still strong
Although UEFA has emerged as the strongest critic of Infantino's leadership, support for the FIFA president remains robust across Asia and Africa.
Countries including Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Philippines have publicly endorsed his leadership in recent days.
Analysts say FIFA's extensive development funding through its FIFA Forward programme has helped strengthen Infantino's support base outside Europe, making any challenge to his leadership significantly more difficult.
