FIFA leadership backs President Infantino after crisis meeting

FIFA's leadership has publicly reaffirmed its "full support for President Gianni Infantino" amid the most significant crisis of his tenure. The declaration came after an emergency meeting of the organization's top officials in Rabat, Morocco, late Wednesday.

Sources indicate the gathering was partly a response to internal dissent, notably from Secretary General Mattias Grafström. Grafström had reportedly criticized Infantino's plan to sell a 20% stake in a new company managing commercial rights for approximately $4.2 billion to private investors. He allegedly described the failed deal, which Infantino apparently pursued unilaterally, as a "sad and reprehensible series of events" in an internal email.

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full support for President Gianni Infantino

Following the meeting, FIFA stated that an agreement was reached to enhance communication and collaboration between the president, the sole elected official representing the 211 member associations, and the secretary general and management. The organization also acknowledged the "great work" of its administration in successfully managing the World Cup in North America, emphasizing that such success relies on unified leadership.

FIFA expressed confidence that the Rabat meeting would help restore trust in the organization, enabling it to focus on future major events and challenges. Infantino, who spent the past week in Morocco, a co-host of the 2030 World Cup, is reportedly seeking to consolidate support for his re-election bid in March 2027. The meeting was widely seen as an effort to bolster his standing after the controversy surrounding the commercial rights sale, which had drawn significant criticism, particularly from European nations.

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sad and reprehensible series of events