FIFA backs Infantino after World Cup investment row

FIFA’s leadership apologised on Wednesday over the controversy around a failed plan to open the World Cup to private investment, while reaffirming its “full support” for president Gianni Infantino.

In a statement after a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, FIFA’s leadership said “errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media.” It said the FIFA secretary general and members of the FIFA Management Board who attended the meeting reaffirmed support for Infantino as “the only official elected by the 211 FIFA Member Associations.”

Infantino has faced growing pressure, including from within FIFA, over his handling of the proposal. Calls for him to step down have increased since he abandoned the plan last Saturday.

FIFA had floated a plan to create a new commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, that would run events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup. FIFA said the project could raise up to $4.2 billion based on a $20 billion valuation.

FIFA said that, if approved, the project could have given each of its 211 member associations a one-off payment of $20 million in early 2027 and raised their funding allocation for the 2027-2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million.

The plan drew a backlash. AFP reported that European football governing body UEFA moved on Thursday to boycott the World Cup. By Saturday, Infantino had withdrawn the proposal.

“Our purpose has always been -- and will always be -- to unite and improve,” Infantino said.