FIFA has publicly reaffirmed its support for president Gianni Infantino after a week of turmoil surrounding the now-abandoned proposal to open the commercial rights of the World Cup to private investment.

Following a crisis meeting in Rabat, Morocco, FIFA’s leadership acknowledged mistakes in the handling of the proposal and apologised to its member associations, while insisting Infantino continues to have the organisation’s full backing.

The statement comes just days after the governing body withdrew plans for the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a proposed commercial subsidiary that would have overseen competitions including the men’s World Cup and Club World Cup.

FIFA admits mistakes, apologises to members

In an official statement issued after Wednesday’s meeting, FIFA said members of its management board and secretary general Mattias Grafstrom had reaffirmed their “full support” for Infantino.

The organisation also admitted that the process surrounding the proposal should have been handled differently.

“It was not the intention for the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations to feel excluded from the process,” FIFA said, adding that errors were also made after details of the proposal were leaked to the media.

A separate letter of apology has reportedly been sent to FIFA Council members and the 211 member associations, with the governing body promising to review the episode and ensure similar mistakes are not repeated.

FIFA also confirmed that the FFE proposal is now “off the table”.

What was the proposal?

The FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal aimed to create a new commercial subsidiary that would manage FIFA’s major competitions, including the World Cup.

FIFA said the project could have raised up to $4.2 billion by selling a 20 percent stake in the new entity, valuing it at around $20 billion.

According to FIFA, the additional revenue would have allowed each of its 211 member associations to receive a one-time payment of $20 million in early 2027, while also increasing development funding for the next financial cycle.

However, the proposal sparked fierce opposition after details emerged publicly, with critics questioning both the lack of consultation and the prospect of private investors taking a stake in football’s biggest competitions.

Backlash from UEFA and other confederations

The plan triggered one of the biggest governance disputes during Infantino’s presidency.

UEFA described the proposal as an opaque, backroom deal and said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s current leadership.

Reports also suggested that multiple confederations had discussed coordinated action if the proposal had moved forward, forcing FIFA to abandon the plan before it reached a formal vote.

The controversy has also led to growing scrutiny of Infantino’s leadership despite FIFA’s insistence that he retains the confidence of the organisation.

Infantino remains backed by FIFA

Despite the criticism, FIFA has made it clear that it continues to support Infantino, describing him as the only official elected by all 211 member associations.

The governing body said a review of the events surrounding the proposal will be presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting.

Infantino, who attended Women’s Africa Cup of Nations matches in Morocco following the meeting, remains expected to seek a fourth term as FIFA president when elections are held next year, although the failed proposal has created the biggest leadership challenge of his tenure.