FIFA chief calls abandoned investor plan 'sad'

FIFA's Swedish secretary general, Mattias Grafström, has broken his silence on the recent turmoil surrounding a proposed plan to sell stakes in the organization's tournaments to private investors. In an internal message to staff, obtained by Sky News, Grafström described the situation as a "sad and reprehensible sequence of events" that is "difficult to comprehend and accept."

The controversial plan, which involved selling shares through a commercial entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise, was announced in July. It quickly drew sharp criticism from various stakeholders, prompting FIFA President Gianni Infantino to abandon the project just days later. Grafström, who joined FIFA from UEFA when Infantino was elected president, did not directly mention Infantino in his message but emphasized FIFA's responsibility to global football.

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We have all been thrown into a chaos that is difficult to comprehend and accept.

Grafström urged FIFA employees to maintain their professionalism, perspective, and composure, assuring them that they would be defended and protected from the political situation. He stressed that the decision to scrap the plans was "absolutely necessary and beyond doubt." Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, now FIFA's chief of global football development, supported the decision, believing in an independent FIFA that serves the sport through transparency and integrity. Wenger stated he was unaware of the project until it was reported in the media.

The opposition to the plan extended to within FIFA itself. Carlos Cordeiro, a senior advisor to Infantino, resigned in protest. Kevin Lamour, FIFA's chief operating officer, reportedly told employees they had been "kept in the dark" by Infantino. Despite the internal dissent and public backlash, Grafström called for continued focus on FIFA's core mission: serving football and its 211 member associations.

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But as secretary general, I urge you to continue to focus on what has always united us: serving football and our 211 member associations, side by side with all stakeholders and in full compliance with FIFA's statutes and regulations.