Gianni Infantino has survived the biggest political crisis of his presidency, but the pressure on FIFA’s leadership is far from over. After hours of emergency talks in Morocco, the FIFA president received the backing of the governing body’s leadership despite fierce criticism over his failed plan to sell a stake in the World Cup’s commercial rights.
The crisis erupted after details of the proposal were leaked, revealing that national associations had not been properly consulted before being asked to support the plan. The backlash spread quickly across world football, forcing FIFA to abandon the project and issue a public apology for mistakes made during the process.
In a letter sent to FIFA’s 211 member associations, Infantino and secretary general Mattias Grafstrom admitted they had made errors. FIFA also acknowledged that the proposal “should have been handled differently” and accepted that many associations felt excluded from a decision that could have reshaped the future of the game’s biggest tournament.
Despite the apology, FIFA’s management board reaffirmed its “full support” for Infantino after seven hours of discussions in Rabat. The show of unity was striking, especially after Grafstrom had earlier described the affair as a “sad and reproachable series of events.”
FIFA has now promised an internal review, with a report set to be presented at the next FIFA Council meeting. The governing body also warned that it would “no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process,” insisting that the mistakes were related to communication rather than breaches of its rules.
The controversy has, however, left lasting political scars. UEFA has maintained its boycott of FIFA events and says it has lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership. European Leagues have also demanded governance reforms, arguing that major decisions cannot continue without meaningful consultation with stakeholders.
The criticism has stretched beyond football administrators. Portugal legend Luis Figo called Infantino’s actions “the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed,” while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the episode as a “fatal” governance failure.
Even so, Infantino remains in a strong political position ahead of next March’s presidential election. He continues to enjoy broad support from many associations across Africa and Asia, and no serious challenger has emerged.
Still, this episode has changed the conversation around FIFA. Future plans involving commercial rights, tournament expansion, or governance reforms will likely face far greater scrutiny. The crisis may have ended for now, but the questions over transparency and accountability are only beginning.
