FIFA President Infantino breaks silence amid World Cup share saga

FIFA President Gianni Infantino finally addressed the turmoil surrounding the abandoned plan to sell World Cup shares after several days of crisis, issuing an internal letter that was disclosed by and The Times. The communication aimed to clarify the situation and outline next steps for the governing body.

This internal letter was released after Infantino and his number two, Mattias Grafström, broke their silence following a crisis linked to the abandoned plan to sell shares in the World Cup to private investors. The letter’s existence was revealed by and The Times.

"We offer our sincere apologies for these mistakes and commit to ensuring that they do not happen again," the document read. The apology was signed jointly by Infantino and Grafström, emphasizing responsibility for the errors.

The duo also announced that a necessary review will be conducted and a report will be presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting. This step is intended to restore confidence in the organisation’s governance.

With the withdrawal of the project, FIFA stated it will no longer tolerate any attack on its integrity, good governance and fair procedures, and will take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard its name and reputation. The statement underscored a zero‑tolerance stance on future breaches.

FIFA apologises for World Cup sale plan, Grafström admits mistake

The Times explained that Infantino plans to fight for his position after holding an emergency meeting this Wednesday in Morocco. The meeting was described as a decisive moment for his re‑election campaign.

Today Portuguese legend Luis Figo strongly attacked the FIFA president, and The Times revealed that Infantino allegedly promised Morocco the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for its support for his re‑election. The allegation adds a political dimension to the controversy.

The letter, addressed to Vice‑Presidents and members of the FIFA Council, recounted a meeting in Rabat with the Management Committee, praised the FIFA Administration’s work on the 2026 World Cup, and reaffirmed full support between the President, the Secretary General and the Administration.

Infantino stays FIFA chief as full leadership backs him amid World Cup plan

It acknowledged that mistakes were made during the process of proposing the creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), admitting that the Council and Member Associations were unintentionally excluded and that the proposal’s leak to the media compounded the issue.

The proposal has now been withdrawn; the correspondence stresses that all actions were carried out in full compliance with FIFA’s regulatory framework. It promises a further review of processes and reaffirms commitment to develop football through the FIFA Forward programme.