FIFA President Gianni Infantino held emergency talks with senior FIFA officials in Morocco on Wednesday as pressure mounted over his abandoned proposal to open the FIFA World Cup to private investment.
The meeting comes days after Infantino withdrew the controversial plan following widespread opposition from football stakeholders, including senior FIFA officials and continental football bodies.
Among those believed to have attended the meeting was FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom, whose leaked internal email criticised the proposal and described the episode as “a sad and reproachable series of events.”
The proposed initiative sought to establish a new commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to manage competitions such as the FIFA World Cup and Club World Cup. FIFA had projected the plan could generate up to $4.2 billion and increase funding for its 211 member associations.
However, the proposal sparked strong criticism, with UEFA condemning it as an opaque deal and expressing a loss of confidence in FIFA’s leadership. CONCACAF also questioned Infantino’s governance, calling for greater accountability within the organisation.
Infantino, who is seeking a fourth and final term as FIFA president, withdrew the proposal last weekend, saying the decision was taken in the interest of unity and cohesion within world football.
