FIFA President Calls Emergency Staff Meeting Amid Fallout Over Abandoned World Cup Investment Plan

FIFA President Gianni Infantino summoned senior staff to an emergency meeting in Rabat on Wednesday, according to the Press Association, as the organization faces mounting pressure following the abandonment of a plan to create a commercial company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to run tournament operations. The meeting is expected to include secretary general Mattias Grafström, members of the FIFA management board and chief of staff Daniel O'Toole.

Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global football development and former Arsenal manager, said he was not involved in the proposal to seek private investment and described the decision to drop the plan as “absolutely necessary and beyond question.” He added that he believes in “an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity.”

The FFE proposal, first reported by The Times and the Financial Times, called for selling a 20% stake to private investors. UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation publicly rejected the idea, with UEFA threatening to boycott FIFA competitions unless the plan was withdrawn. UEFA also announced it had lost confidence in Infantino, and several national associations, including England, Wales and Scotland, have withdrawn their support.

FIFA council members are reportedly working to secure a majority of 19 votes to call a meeting that could hold Infantino accountable for the failed initiative and his handling of the Folarin Balogun case. If the threshold is not met, dissenting council members have said they may stage a “governance boycott” that could impede FIFA’s operations.

Grafström emailed staff to acknowledge the “turmoil” caused by the episode and pledged that employees would be protected from the surrounding political pressures. The comments follow the recent resignation of Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro and remarks by FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour that staff had been “deceived” by the president.

While most African, South American and Oceanian associations appear to remain aligned with Infantino, several Asian federations, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and Lebanon, have expressed support. Jordan’s association president, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, accused FIFA of “blackmail” in a post on X, alleging that the federation promised financial payments in exchange for votes. FIFA has not responded to the allegation.

UEFA has indicated it is considering legal action over the FFE plan and has instructed its lawyers to request that Infantino and other FIFA officials preserve all related documents.