Following a meeting with Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafström and members of the organisation’s management board in the Moroccan capital Rabat, Fifa issued a statement apologising for the way the proposals had been presented.

“It was agreed that it was not the intention for the Fifa Council and Fifa Member Associations to feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently. It was further acknowledged that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media.”

Last week, the British newspapers the Financial Times and The Times revealed an Infantino-backed proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in a new commercial rights entity called Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) to private investors.

The deal would have raised about €3.8 billion.
Infantino set for second term as Fifa boss

Backlash from governing bodies

The secrecy surrounding the plan and its potential implications for Fifa competitions provoked a backlash from Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf, which govern football in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and North and Central America respectively.

Even after Uefa voted to boycott all Fifa competitions, Infantino blamed media coverage for misrepresenting the reforms. The 56-year-old eventually withdrew the plan.

“The FFE proposal, which would have been subject to the approval of the Fifa Member Associations and the Fifa Council, is now off the table,” Fifa said in its statement on Wednesday.

“With the project withdrawn, it was agreed that Fifa will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process and will take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard its name and reputation.” U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino with the World Cup trophy during the ceremony to present it to the Spanish national team, New Jersey, USA, 19 July 2026

‘Lessons to be learned’

“There are always lessons to be learned, and Fifa will continue to improve its processes in light of this experience,” the statement added.

“In this instance, however, it is important to stress that, although mistakes were made, everything that was done was done in full compliance with the Fifa regulatory framework.”

The Rabat meeting took place during the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and less than three weeks after Infantino appeared alongside US President Donald Trump at the World Cup final.

Infantino presented the trophy to Spain after their 1–0 victory over Argentina at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

He later hailed the first 48-team World Cup as the most financially successful edition in the tournament’s 96-year history, saying it had generated €13 billion.

Infantino defends FIFA decision to expand Women’s World Cup

Letters of apology

Despite the expressions of contrition and letters of apology sent to the Fifa Council and member associations, opposition to another term for Infantino is likely to grow.

On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Infantino had erred by failing to consult senior officials, including Fifa chief operating officer Kevin Lamour and members of the management board.

“The idea that proper governance is not to disclose to your closest advisers and your chief operating officer, your fellow board members, something of consequence that you’re even considering, let alone proposing … that should be fatal,” Carney said.

“And you lose confidence in that individual. They have their own procedures for making those determinations, but certainly I don’t have confidence in Mr Infantino.”

Last week, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham also questioned Infantino’s competence.

“The idea that [the proposal] could even be brought forward shows that, in my view, [he] is the wrong man to lead the organisation,” Burnham said.

On Wednesday, European Leagues – which represents domestic competitions including France’s Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, England’s Premier League and Italy’s three professional divisions – called for governance reform at Fifa.

The organisation also criticised a Fifa proposal unveiled on 30 July to expand the 2030 World Cup from 48 to 64 teams, and the one-month timetable proposed for assessing the idea.

“Let us be clear: Fifa must not be allowed to continue taking unilaterally disruptive decisions that fly in the face of the leagues, clubs, players and fans whose sustained efforts and investment drive the value of international football competitions,” European Leagues said.

“Now more than ever, Fifa requires governance reform that ensures that all relevant stakeholders have a formal role in decisions that shape the future of our game.”