FIFA's senior leadership has officially reaffirmed their backing for President Gianni Infantino following a high-level crisis meeting held in Rabat, Morocco. The gathering was convened as the global football governing body sought to manage the fallout from a controversial $20 billion proposal that aimed to sell off commercial and operational rights to the World Cup.
In a formal statement released on Wednesday, FIFA confirmed that Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom and the FIFA Management Board expressed their full support for President Infantino. In turn, Infantino voiced his continued support for the secretary general and the wider FIFA administration. The organization stated that the outcome of the meeting is intended to strengthen governance and restore confidence, allowing the body to prepare for upcoming challenges and major events in a transparent and unified manner.
The leadership also acknowledged the administration's ongoing efforts regarding the 2026 World Cup, noting that the progress made would not have been possible without the combined work of the President, the Secretary General, and the FIFA administration. Addressing the controversial $20 billion plan, which was withdrawn following widespread criticism, FIFA admitted that mistakes were made. The organization stated that it was not their intention for the FIFA Council and member associations to feel excluded from the process and acknowledged that the matter should have been handled differently.
As part of the resolution, FIFA confirmed that a formal letter of apology has been sent to members of the FIFA Council and national associations. A review of the incident is currently underway, with findings expected to be presented at the council's next scheduled meeting. FIFA emphasized that the privatization proposal is now officially off the table. Furthermore, the governing body declared that it will no longer tolerate attacks on its integrity, good governance, or due process, and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its reputation moving forward.
