In brief
FIFA leaders met in Rabat to discuss the fallout from Infantino’s aborted investment plan for its major competitions. The council confirmed the president’s position while acknowledging procedural errors. The proposed private‑investment vehicle, the FFA, was deemed opaque and leaked prematurely to the media. FIFA pledged a review and vowed to protect its reputation. The controversy has sparked debate over leadership and governance within world football.
Gianni Infantino will remain as president after he received the backing of senior executives in a meeting in Morocco, despite the governing body admitting there were mistakes in its handling of a proposed private‑investment scheme for its tournaments.
The summit was held in the African office in Rabat after mounting criticism that the FFA proposal, which offered 211 member associations a 40m USD incentive to back a private‑investment subsidiary, was forced on them and leaked to the press prematurely.
Uefa publicly lost confidence, calling the deal shady and opaque, while FIFA’s secretary general Mattias Grofstrom described the situation as a sad and reproachable series of events. Nevertheless, the Board reaffirmed full support for Infantino following the four‑hour meeting.
In an official statement, FIFA acknowledged that mistakes were made regarding the FFA and that the council and member associations should not feel excluded from the process. It admitted to leaks that had damaged its integrity and announced a review to prevent future errors.
The organization also rejected claims that Infantino had promised Morocco a 2030 world cup final as part of the deal, calling the story false. FIFA said the final venue, along with the hosts of the tournament, will be decided in due course.
