From Zurich, where FIFA’s Council gathered on Thursday under the shadow of a widening dispute with UEFA, Gianni Infantino moved to close the book on the proposed sale of World Cup rights to outside investors. The FIFA president told members that the FIFA Forward Enterprise project has been withdrawn permanently, while apologising for the way the plan had been handled and explained.
Infantino said the intention behind the initiative had been to bring greater investment into football, but only with the backing of the wider game. He accepted that mistakes had been made both in the management of the proposal and in its communication to football’s stakeholders.
The Council also heard from external lawyers on the legal background to the project. Their ability to expand on the matter was limited, however, because of the current court proceedings in the United States involving UEFA. Infantino said discussions had previously taken place around the FFE proposal in an effort to answer concerns, including the creation of a working group.
Disciplinary review and a larger solidarity fund
Another issue raised was the disciplinary decision that suspended a one-match ban for United States forward Folarin Balogun during the last World Cup, allowing him to play in the round-of-16 match against Belgium. Infantino agreed that FIFA’s Legal Committee will examine the disciplinary procedures involved, with its findings due to be presented at the next meeting in December.
The FIFA president also set out a new solidarity plan following the strong commercial results and surplus generated by the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. FIFA intends to allocate 6.35 billion for solidarity and development during the 2027-2030 cycle, an increase on the 5.6 billion earmarked for the present 2023-2026 period.
Infantino stressed that the funds are designed for member associations and for the development of football across the world, from established federations to those seeking to strengthen their domestic infrastructure.
Attention now turns to 18 November, the deadline for candidates to submit their papers ahead of FIFA’s presidential election in March. Infantino is expected to stand again, while UEFA, the confederation most openly critical of his leadership, must decide whether it will put forward a rival candidate.
