FIFA’s senior leadership has unanimously reaffirmed its “full support” for president Gianni Infantino following an emergency meeting in Rabat, Morocco, aimed at addressing the fallout from the governing body’s abandoned plan to sell stakes in World Cup commercial rights to private investors.
The crisis meeting came after days of mounting criticism from football stakeholders, including UEFA, national associations and senior football figures, with some calling for Infantino’s resignation over the failed proposal. FIFA’s leadership acknowledged that mistakes had been made in handling the initiative but insisted the organisation remained united behind its president.
In a statement issued after the meeting, FIFA said the discussions would “strengthen FIFA’s governance, help restore confidence in the organisation and enable us to prepare for the major events and challenges ahead in a united and transparent manner while continuing our mission to develop the game around the world.”
Infantino also apologised to FIFA’s member associations over the controversy surrounding the now-abandoned commercial rights plan, admitting errors in the process while stressing that the proposal had been withdrawn. The organisation hopes the show of unity from its leadership will help ease tensions as it focuses on upcoming international competitions and governance reforms.
Oluwagbemisola Babalola
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