FIFA Backs Infantino, Apologises for World Cup Privatisation Plan

FIFA has reaffirmed its confidence in President Gianni Infantino while apologising for the controversy surrounding its abandoned proposal to introduce private investment into the FIFA World Cup.

The decision followed a crisis meeting held in Rabat, Morocco, where senior officials of world football’s governing body acknowledged that mistakes were made during the handling of the proposal but unanimously expressed their support for Infantino.

The proposal sought to establish a new commercial subsidiary known as FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would oversee the commercial operations of major competitions, including the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

According to FIFA, the initiative was expected to attract up to $4.2 billion in private investment based on an estimated valuation of $20 billion.

The governing body had argued that the project would significantly increase financial support for its 211 member associations by providing each federation with a one-off payment of $20 million and raising future funding allocations.

However, the proposal triggered widespread criticism from football stakeholders, who questioned the transparency of the process and the potential commercialisation of the sport’s flagship tournament.

European football governing body UEFA strongly opposed the plan and threatened to boycott the World Cup if the proposal proceeded, describing it as an opaque arrangement developed without adequate consultation.

Facing mounting pressure, Infantino withdrew the proposal before it could be presented for approval.

Following Wednesday’s meeting, FIFA admitted that the process should have been managed differently and apologised for allowing the matter to become public before wider consultation with its governing bodies and member associations.

The organisation confirmed that a formal review of the incident would be conducted, with findings expected to be presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting.

FIFA also announced that the World Cup privatisation proposal had been permanently withdrawn and would no longer be considered.

Despite the apology, the organisation reiterated that Infantino retained the full backing of its senior leadership, describing him as the only official elected by all 211 FIFA member associations.

The controversy has nevertheless intensified scrutiny of Infantino’s leadership, with UEFA, CONCACAF and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney among those expressing concerns over FIFA’s governance and decision-making process.