FIFA backs Infantino despite mounting calls for his ouster
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has survived a mounting leadership crisis after the organisation’s senior executives reaffirmed their support for him despite fierce criticism over a controversial plan to sell stakes in football competitions to private investors.
Infantino summoned FIFA’s management board to a crisis meeting in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 where he apologised to member associations for “errors” surrounding the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.
The plan sought to sell a 20 per cent stake in a new commercial rights entity that would raise private investment for FIFA competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups. It was withdrawn last Friday after triggering widespread opposition.
Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom later wrote to FIFA’s 211 member associations, acknowledging mistakes and apologising for how the proposal was handled.
FIFA said the management board had “reaffirmed their full support” for Infantino, while promising an internal review, with a report expected before the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting.
However, the show of support has failed to quell opposition to Infantino’s leadership.
UEFA, European football’s governing body, has accused FIFA of pursuing a “shabby, backroom, opaque deal” and said it had lost confidence in Infantino.
The European football leagues, including England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga and Italy’s Serie A, have separately demanded governance reforms and warned FIFA against making unilateral decisions on competition expansion.
UEFA has also threatened legal action, while several national associations have withdrawn support for Infantino’s re-election.
The controversy intensified because the proposed commercial structure involved a company with family links to US President Donald Trump, raising further questions about transparency and potential conflicts of interest.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country co-hosted the 2026 World Cup with the United States and Mexico, has also said he no longer has confidence in Infantino.
Former football star Luis Figo went further, calling on Infantino to resign immediately.
“Infantino has debased the office that he promised to elevate,” Figo said. “It is too late to save his dignity but it is not too late to save football.”
Infantino, 56, is nevertheless expected to seek a fourth term at FIFA’s Congress in Morocco in March 2027. He had been expected to run virtually unopposed, but the latest crisis has opened the prospect of a contested election.
Candidates have until November 18 to enter the race. A challenger would require 106 votes from FIFA’s 211 members to win.
Infantino retains strong support among several member associations, particularly those dependent on FIFA funding.
FIFA insists that despite the acknowledged mistakes, the FFE process complied with its regulatory framework and says the review will strengthen governance and restore confidence.
But with UEFA and several national associations openly challenging his leadership, the Rabat vote may prove only a temporary reprieve for a president facing the biggest threat to his decade-long tenure.
