3 min readAug 6, 2026 01:17 PM IST
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has received a significant show of support from senior officials during a crisis meeting in Morocco, despite mounting pressure over his failed plan to sell a stake in the World Cup.
The world governing body acknowledged that “mistakes were made” in the handling of the controversial proposal and promised to ensure such errors are not repeated. The meeting, held in Rabat, saw Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom and other senior management figures “reaffirm their full support” for Infantino’s leadership, according to a FIFA statement. This marks a notable shift, as Grafstrom had previously distanced himself from the plan, calling the events of the past week a “sad and reproachable series of events” in an internal email.
The proposal, which would have seen FIFA sell minority stakes in a commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise, was met with widespread opposition and has now been formally abandoned. European football’s governing body UEFA had threatened a boycott of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions if the plan went ahead, while the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) also voiced strong criticism. The backlash has raised serious questions about Infantino’s leadership ahead of the FIFA presidential election in March.
The European Leagues association, which includes the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A, has called for governance reform at FIFA. In a statement, it said the FFE proposal exposed deeper issues within the organisation and that “FIFA must not be allowed to continue taking unilaterally disruptive decisions.” The body also rejected any possibility of further expanding the World Cup to 64 teams.
Infantino’s position has also come under fire from footballing greats, with former Portugal and Real Madrid star Luís Figo calling on him to resign, accusing him of having “debased the office.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also expressed his loss of confidence in Infantino, calling his governance failure “fatal.”
FIFA has denied a British media report that suggested Infantino had offered Morocco the hosting rights for the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for support. A spokesperson called the claim “false and misleading,” adding that a decision on the final venue would be made “in due course.” The 2030 edition is jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with the latter hoping to stage the final at its planned 115,000-seat King Hassan II Stadium.
With calls for governance reform and potential challenges to his presidency growing, it remains to be seen whether this show of internal support will be enough to ease the pressure on Infantino. The election for his fourth and final term is set for March.
(With wire inputs)
