FIFA president Infantino receives backing from senior officials after abandoned stake-sale plan

Gianni Infantino convened FIFA’s management board in Rabat, Morocco, where the organization’s senior officials issued a statement reaffirming their full support for the president after he abandoned a plan to sell stakes in FIFA’s commercial projects. The meeting took place at the newly opened FIFA Africa office inside the Mohammed VI Football Complex, where the Moroccan federation’s president Fouzi Lekjaa also sits on the FIFA Council.

Several board members, including global football development chief Arsène Wenger, chief football officer Jill Ellis and chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, were absent. Lamour had previously accused Infantino of misleading staff about the “project of one person.” Those who attended, including FIFA general secretary Mattias Grafström, signed the support statement.

In a joint letter to all 211 member associations, Infantino and Grafström apologized for “mistakes” in communication and pledged a review of processes at the next FIFA Council meeting. The letter also warned that FIFA would not tolerate attacks on its integrity and claimed the aborted project had complied with FIFA’s regulatory framework.

The response from other football bodies has been mixed. UEFA said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s leadership, while CONCACAF called for a “comprehensive reckoning” and urged its members to withhold endorsement letters for Infantino’s re-election. Several European federations, including England, Wales, Serbia, Greece and Sweden, have publicly withdrawn support. In contrast, a number of Asian federations such as the Philippines, Mongolia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Lebanon and Kuwait have expressed backing.

Former FIFA candidate Prince Ali bin Al Hussein accused the organization of pressuring his association to endorse Infantino, and former player Luis Figo criticized the stake-sale proposal as “deceitful.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he had no confidence in Infantino’s governance, echoing similar sentiments from the new UK prime minister.

The controversy follows reports that FIFA still owes $250 million in solidarity payments to clubs for the 2025 Club World Cup and that U.S. cities are pursuing unpaid fees. Leaked documents also suggested early discussions of a revived Super League, which Infantino publicly disavowed.

Infantino has not taken questions on the matter, instead posting messages of support from several member associations on Instagram.