Fifa president Gianni Infantino retains position after executive meeting

By Rohan Gupta — 5 August 2026 — 4 min read

Gianni Infantino will continue as Fifa president following a meeting with senior executives in Morocco. This decision comes despite the governing body acknowledging “mistakes” in its recent proposals.

The meeting took place at Fifa’s Africa office in Rabat on Wednesday. It followed increasing criticism of Infantino’s attempt to sell stakes in Fifa competitions to private investors. Four hours after the meeting concluded, Fifa released a statement of support for Infantino.

Executive Support and Criticisms

European football’s governing body, Uefa, had previously stated a loss of confidence in Infantino, describing the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal.” Criticism also emerged from within Fifa, including from secretary general Mattias Grofstrom, who attended Wednesday’s meeting. In an internal memo sent to Fifa staff, Grofstrom characterised the situation as “a sad and reproachable series of events.”

However, a statement issued after the meeting indicated that Grofstrom and the management board “reaffirmed their full support” for Infantino as president. Infantino had offered Fifa’s 211 member associations $40m if they supported a private investment proposal for tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, through the new FFE subsidiary.

Fifa acknowledged during the meeting that “mistakes” were made regarding FFE. The organisation stated it was “not the intention” for the Fifa Council and member associations to “feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently.” It also recognised errors made after the proposal was leaked to the media, with a report in the Times on 28 July detailing Infantino’s plan.

Fifa has since written to the Council and member associations, apologising for these errors and committing to prevent their recurrence. A review will now be conducted. The organisation also declared it “will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process and will take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard its name and reputation.”

Earlier, Fifa denied a report that Infantino had promised Morocco the hosting rights for the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for support. Fifa labelled this claim “false and misleading,” adding that a decision on the final’s location, with the tournament also hosted by Spain and Portugal, would be made “in due course.”

Reactions and Future Outlook

This show of support from Fifa executives follows significant criticism of Infantino. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country co-hosted a recent World Cup, expressed a lack of confidence in Infantino. Former footballer Luis Figo, who ran for the Fifa presidency in 2015, called for Infantino’s immediate resignation, stating, “Infantino has debased the office that he promised to elevate.”

Figo condemned Infantino’s plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors as “the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed.” He further stated, “It is too late to save his dignity but it is not too late to save football.”

Despite the controversies, Infantino, aged 56, appears poised to seek re-election for a fourth term. Potential rivals have until 18 November to declare their candidacy, with the election scheduled for the Fifa Congress in Morocco in March 2027. A candidate requires 106 votes from Fifa’s 211 members to win.

Uefa has been particularly vocal in its opposition, threatening legal action against Fifa and expressing a vote of no confidence. Several member associations, including Wales, have withdrawn support for Infantino’s re-election. However, outside of Europe, only Concacaf as a confederation has criticised the Fifa president, though not to the extent of expressing a loss of confidence. The Asian confederation rejected the plan but has not issued a blanket statement since Infantino aborted it.

While Uefa holds considerable power, it requires broader global support to realistically challenge Infantino. So far, only Jordan, among a few of the 211 member associations, has publicly called for his departure. Many countries, particularly within Infantino’s strongholds in Asia and Africa, have reiterated their support.

Countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, DR Congo, and the Philippines have recently backed Infantino. These nations have benefited from funding through Infantino’s Fifa Forward programme, receiving $8m in each three-year cycle. Uefa faces the challenge of persuading these countries that an alternative presidential candidate can offer comparable financial programmes with increased transparency and reform, given Infantino’s existing loyalty among them.

Fifa has maintained that despite errors, all actions were in full compliance with its regulatory framework. The organisation believes the outcomes of the meeting will “strengthen Fifa’s governance” and “restore confidence in the organisation.”

Source: bbc.com