FIFA chief Infantino calls crisis meeting with senior staff in Morocco
New Delhi, Aug 5
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino will hold a crisis meeting in Morocco on Wednesday after his plan to sell off FIFA's commercial and event operations faced fierce criticism.
Infantino was forced to withdraw his plan to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company to run the commercial and operational aspects of FIFA's tournaments, after it triggered widespread opposition from UEFA, Concacaf, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and several national associations, as well as criticism from within FIFA.
According to the Sky Sports report, Infantino has asked senior leaders of football's world governing body to attend the meeting in Rabat.
FIFA's chief of global football development Arsene Wenger has backed the decision to withdraw the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, saying abandoning the project was 'absolutely necessary and beyond question' and reaffirming his belief in an independent and transparent world governing body.
In a statement, Wenger clarified that he had no involvement in the strategic proposal, which sought to create a commercial subsidiary to manage FIFA's major competition rights, including the FIFA World Cup, while allowing private investors to acquire an equity stake.
UEFA threatened to take legal action in response to the controversial proposal, and the Football Association of Wales has officially withdrawn its support for Infantino's re-election bid as FIFA president.
Moreover, the FA is set to withdraw support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino; Wales became the first football association to officially withdraw support for Infantino's re-election as FIFA president.
In March next year, Infantino is set to stand for re-election for a final term as president and would need 106 votes from Fifa's 211 members to win.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has confirmed "its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr Gianni Infantino for re-election as Fifa president for the 2027-2031 term".
— IANS
Reader Comments
Wenger walking away from this mess is smart. The World Cup should be about the game, not selling stakes to private investors. India's growing football scene needs a clean FIFA, not this corporate circus.
Why does FIFA keep getting into these messes? First the corruption scandals, now this. As an Indian fan, I just want to watch good football without all this politics. 🙄
Wales withdrawing support is a huge signal. Infantino's re-election is now shaky. Indian associations should take note and push for more accountability in world football governance.
It's refreshing to see football bodies stand up to this kind of power grab. The game belongs to the fans and the nations, not private equity firms. Let's hope common sense prevails in Rabat.
This is what happens when one person holds too much power. Infantino needs to remember that FIFA is a federation, not his personal fiefdom. Glad to see resistance from all corners, including Europe.
Transparency is key. If FIFA wants to grow football globally, it needs to include emerging markets like India, not just chase commercial profits. Hopefully, this crisis forces a better path forward.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.