Gianni Infantino is refusing to step down as FIFA president, securing a vote of confidence from senior management during a meeting in Morocco despite widespread condemnation of his secret, aborted plan to sell stakes in major football competitions to private investors.
The proposal, known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), was slammed by UEFA as a 'shabby, back room, opaque deal,' leading to a significant loss of confidence in his leadership.
Even FIFA’s own secretary general, Mattias Grafstrom, previously labeled the situation a 'sad and reproachable series of events' before ultimately joining the board in reaffirming support for the president. Infantino and his inner circle have issued an apology for their 'errors,' claiming they did not intend to exclude the FIFA council from the process.
While Infantino attempts to move past the scandal, the fallout remains severe: his senior adviser on global strategy and governance, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned over the plan. Critics, including former football star Luis Figo, have called for his immediate resignation, arguing that Infantino has debased the office.
Despite threats of legal action from UEFA and a growing list of member associations withdrawing their support, Infantino is positioning himself to fight for a fourth term in the March 2027 election, relying on the loyalty of confederations that have benefited from his FIFA Forward funding programs.
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