FIFA president Gianni Infantino has apologized to the organization’s leadership over a controversial investment proposal involving the commercial rights to major football competitions, including the World Cup. However, his apology failed to satisfy several senior officials, who said important questions remained unanswered.
The FIFA Council met behind closed doors at the organization’s headquarters in Zurich on Thursday, October 15, to discuss the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project and other contentious issues surrounding Infantino’s leadership.
The proposal, announced in July, aimed to establish a company to manage the commercial interests of FIFA competitions and sell a minority stake to private investors. The plan triggered criticism from several football associations, particularly in Europe, because it was announced without prior consultation with the FIFA Council.
Infantino acknowledged mistakes in the communication and consultation process, saying the proposal had never been a finalized deal. He also apologized for the consequences that followed the announcement.
Despite the apology, German Football Association president Bernd Neuendorf said the meeting had produced no satisfactory answers to the questions raised by council members. He called for comprehensive reforms to FIFA’s administration and governance, arguing that meaningful change would be difficult under the current leadership.
English Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt also expressed disappointment, saying officials had not received the documents and explanations they had specifically requested. She warned that Infantino needed to address the outstanding questions to maintain confidence in his leadership.
The controversy extends beyond the investment proposal. Officials also raised concerns about FIFA’s Peace Prize, which was awarded to US President Donald Trump, and the decision to overturn the suspension of American striker Folarin Balogun following a red card during the World Cup. Questions were raised about Trump’s reported intervention in the disciplinary case.
FIFA said details of the investment proposal remained confidential because of ongoing legal proceedings in the United States. The council agreed to establish a working group to examine the organization’s governance framework, while the future of the Peace Prize was referred for further review.
Despite the criticism from several European officials, Infantino retains support among members from other regions, including Africa and Asia. His future leadership is expected to remain a major issue ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027.
The council also approved a proposal to distribute $3.5 billion from FIFA’s financial reserves, with each of its 211 member associations set to receive $25 million over the next four-year cycle.
Although Infantino’s apology acknowledged shortcomings in the handling of the investment plan, the meeting ended without resolving several major concerns. The coming months could prove important for FIFA as calls for greater transparency and governance reform continue..
Reporting by Borderless for The Borderless Journal. Filed under Uncategorized · 16 Oct 2026, 17:00.
