FIFA President Gianni Infantino has convened an emergency meeting of the world football governing body’s senior leadership in Morocco as pressure mounts over the collapse of a controversial proposal that has triggered one of the biggest governance crises of his presidency.
The high-level meeting comes just days after FIFA abandoned its proposal to sell a 20% stake in a newly created commercial rights entity linked to the FIFA World Cup. The plan, reportedly valued at about $4.2 billion, faced fierce opposition from UEFA, several national football associations, and senior FIFA officials, who argued that the proposal lacked transparency and threatened the independence of world football.
According to reports, Infantino is using the emergency meeting in Rabat to rally support among FIFA executives and member associations while attempting to contain the growing backlash. The discussions are expected to focus on restoring confidence in FIFA’s leadership, strengthening governance, and addressing concerns raised by confederations over the failed commercial initiative.
The controversy has intensified divisions within global football. UEFA and several European football associations have openly criticized the proposal, while FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström and FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger, reportedly distanced themselves from the initiative after it sparked widespread criticism. Adviser Carlos Cordeiro has also resigned in the fallout.
Adding to the pressure, Jordan Football Association President Ali bin Al Hussein recently accused FIFA of attempting to influence political support for Infantino’s re-election by linking financial assistance to endorsements—an allegation that has further fueled scrutiny of the organization’s leadership.
Despite the growing criticism, Infantino is believed to retain strong backing from many football associations across Africa, Asia and Oceania, regions that benefit significantly from FIFA development funding. However, reports suggest his previously comfortable path toward another term as FIFA president is now facing unprecedented uncertainty as opposition within world football continues to grow.
