Infantino summons FIFA chiefs to crisis meeting in Morocco

Gianni Infantino called a crisis meeting of FIFA’s senior executives in Rabat, Morocco on Wednesday after the failed partial‑privatisation of FIFA tournaments sparked a wave of internal and external rejections that threatened his continuity at the helm. The emergency gathering was confirmed by PA Media and disseminated by EFE, underscoring the unprecedented institutional agitation within the federation.

The agenda will be attended by Secretary‑General Mattias Grafström, Chief of Staff Daniel O’Toole, Legal Director Emilio García Silvero, Member‑Federations Head Elkhan Mammadov, Human‑Resources Director Kimberly Morris, Media Director Bryan Swanson and Communications Director David Farrelly. Their presence signals an attempt to assess executive support for Infantino amid the turmoil.

The crisis was triggered by the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, a venture intended to manage the commercial and operational aspects of upcoming tournaments, including the 2029 Club World Cup and the 2030 World Cup. The most controversial element was the proposed sale of 20 % of FFE to private investors.

Details of the plan emerged on 28 July through articles in The Times and the Financial Times, before FIFA officially confirmed the proposal. UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation categorically rejected the plan, with UEFA threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, if it proceeded.

UEFA warns FIFA and Infantino of legal action over World Cup plan

CONMEBOL’s reservation sealed the plan’s demise, forcing Infantino to withdraw the initiative. Yet the fallout continued: UEFA publicly declared it had “lost confidence” in Infantino, and several member federations, notably England and Wales, withdrew formal support for his possible 2027 re‑election. Jordan’s government accused Infantino of offering money for political backing, labeling the act as “blackmail”.

UEFA also sent a document warning of potential legal action and demanded that FIFA retain all documentation related to the plan, both physical and electronic. Internally, Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s chief adviser on strategy and global governance, resigned, calling the proposal a “bad deal for football” that “mortgaged the future”.

Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s Global Development Director, publicly distanced himself from Infantino, as did Grafström, who emailed staff in Zurich describing the situation as a “sad and censurable series of events”. Grafström promised employees would be “defended and protected” amid the “difficult agitation” and affirmed that the institution’s mission and responsibility to world football continue.

Jordanian FA chief accuses FIFA of blackmail amid World Cup woes

Opposing members of the FIFA Council are working to secure a majority of 19 votes to convene a formal meeting where Infantino must answer for the privatisation plan and his handling of the Folarin Balogun case at the recent World Cup 2026. Should they fail to achieve the majority, or if Infantino rejects the request, dissenting councillors contemplate a “governance boycott” that could cripple FIFA’s operations.

With the Wednesday meeting in Rabat, Infantino aims to gauge how much executive backing he retains within his own team, hoping to steady the federation after a week of unprecedented upheaval.