FIFA leadership has backed president Gianni Infantino following a crisis meeting in Morocco after an aborted plan to open the body to private investors. The governing body admitted errors late Wednesday following widespread criticism from European soccer authorities and internal figures.
In an official statement released late Wednesday evening after the meeting in Morocco, the FIFA executive board acknowledged that mistakes occurred after the proposal leaked to the media. The leadership offered formal apologies for the missteps and promised to ensure such errors would not happen again.
The statement noted that FIFA had no intention of excluding the FIFA Council or member associations from the decision-making process. Leadership admitted the project should have been managed differently, while stressing that all actions remained within the FIFA regulatory framework.
Support for Infantino leadership
Executive board members present at the meeting reaffirmed their complete backing for Infantino. They highlighted his position as the only official elected by all 211 FIFA member associations to lead the organization.
Following the decision to abandon the investment proposal, FIFA announced it will take all required steps to safeguard its reputation. The organization stated it will no longer accept any attacks on its governance, integrity, or compliance with internal rules.
Infantino signaled a willingness to move past recent tensions with senior staff. He expressed full support for FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom and the administrative team for their work in executing his vision for global soccer.
Internal reactions and election battle
Grafstrom had previously sent a letter to FIFA staff expressing regret over a series of sad and condemnable events. The letter followed growing friction within the organization over the private investment strategy.
Infantino has served as FIFA president for ten years. The 56-year-old official faces opposition from several key bodies across international soccer, notably European governing body UEFA.
The next FIFA presidential election is set for March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco. Infantino remains the sole declared candidate for the election and requires a majority of the 211 member federations to secure his final four-year mandate.
