Infantino retains Fifa presidency after executive meeting in Morocco
Gianni Infantino will continue as Fifa president following a meeting with senior executives in Morocco. This decision comes despite the global football governing body acknowledging that “mistakes” were made regarding a controversial proposal.
The meeting took place at Fifa‘s Africa office in Rabat on Wednesday, convened by Infantino amidst increasing criticism of his earlier attempt to sell stakes in Fifa competitions to private investors. Four hours after the meeting concluded, the organisation released a statement expressing support for Infantino.
Executive Support and Criticisms
Prior to the meeting, European football’s governing body Uefa had stated its loss of confidence in Infantino, describing the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal.” Criticism also emerged from within Fifa, including from secretary general Mattias Grofstrom, who attended Wednesday’s gathering. In an internal memo sent to staff, Grofstrom characterised the situation as “a sad and reproachable series of events.”
However, a statement issued after the meeting indicated that Grofstrom and the management board “reaffirmed their full support” for Infantino as president. Fifa acknowledged during the meeting that “mistakes” concerning FFE were made, stating it was “not the intention” for the Fifa council and member associations to “feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently.”
The governing body also recognised that errors occurred after the proposal was leaked to the media. Fifa has since written to the council and member associations to apologise for these errors, committing to prevent their recurrence and announcing a review. Despite this, the organisation also declared it “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.”
Earlier, Fifa denied reports suggesting Infantino had promised Morocco the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for support. Fifa labelled this claim as “false and misleading,” stating that a decision on the final’s location, with the tournament also hosted by Spain and Portugal, would be made “in due course.”
Reactions and Future Outlook
This show of support from Fifa executives follows significant criticism directed at Infantino. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country co-hosted a recent World Cup, expressed a lack of confidence in the president. Additionally, former football player Luis Figo, who ran for the Fifa presidency in 2015, called for Infantino‘s immediate resignation.
Figo stated that Infantino “has debased the office that he promised to elevate” and that it is “too late to save his dignity but it is not too late to save football.” Reports indicate that Infantino, at 56 years old, intends to seek re-election for a fourth term. Potential rivals have until 18 November to submit their candidacies, with the election scheduled for the Fifa Congress in Morocco in March 2027.
A candidate requires 106 votes from Fifa‘s 211 members to secure the presidency. Uefa, however, has expressed strong opposition, threatening legal action against Fifa and stating a loss of confidence in Infantino‘s leadership. Several member associations, including Wales, have also withdrawn support for his re-election.
While Fifa maintains that all actions were in full compliance with its regulatory framework and that the meeting’s outcomes will “strengthen Fifa‘s governance” and “restore confidence,” Uefa‘s anger is unlikely to subside. Uefa has consistently reacted to developments since the FFE plan emerged, including a threat of boycott from all 55 member associations.
Outside of Europe, only Concacaf has criticised Infantino as a confederation, though without explicitly stating a loss of confidence. The Asian confederation rejected the plan but has not issued a blanket statement since its abortion. While Uefa holds considerable power, it requires broader global support to challenge Infantino effectively.
Only Jordan, among a few of the 211 member associations, has publicly called for Infantino to step down. Conversely, countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, DR Congo, and the Philippines have voiced their support for Infantino. These nations have benefited from funding through Infantino‘s Fifa Forward programme.
Uefa faces the task of convincing these countries that an alternative presidential candidate could offer comparable financial programmes with increased transparency and reform. The election for the Fifa presidency is set for March 2027.
Source: bbc.com
