Gianni Infantino apologizes to FIFA Council for failed FFE plan as presidential election looms

Gianni Infantino has attempted to put the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan to rest at today's FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland.

The plan faced immense backlash after being revealed by The Times reporter Martyn Ziegler in the immediate aftermath of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Infantino's plan was to sell shares in a to-be-created business in charge of running the commercial enterprises of each future World Cup. A deal had already been struck for American entrepreneur Josh Kushner to invest in the project.

However, the plan was ultimately scrapped after facing blowback from all corners of the globe, including multiple FIFA confederations and executives. The plan was criticized not only for the perception that Infantino was selling football to the highest bidder, but also for the secrecy by which it was developed.

Gianni Infantino apologizes for failed FFE plan

According to FIFA Council member Ahmed Yahya, FIFA president Gianni Infantino apologized to the board for his failed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan that brought significant criticism in the wake of the 2026 World Cup.

"After finally withdrawing this proposal, President Gianni Infantino apologised to the members of the Executive Committee," said Yahya, the president of the Mauritania football association. "This was followed by a responsible debate, during which this issue was more or less shelved. And I believe that, in the interests of football, the Executive Committee is looking ahead and seeking solutions, above all with a positive attitude, by focusing on the good aspects that football has to offer today and trying to move forward."

Infantino himself then confirmed this while meeting with reporters after the meeting concluded.

"We had a very good meeting today, where we discussed the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which was the main discussion point at the meeting today," Infantino said. "I apologized for the mistakes that we made in relation to the communication and consultation process related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which had many consequences. "It's important to remember it was just a proposal, and in no way a done deal, just a proposal that actually intended to enable FIFA to invest more in our member associations as opposed to replacing support from existing resources. It's intention was merely to create more success stories like the ones that inspired people around the world during the FIFA 2026 World Cup, because football is for everyone."

"We had a very good meeting today, where we discussed the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which was the main discussion point at the meeting today," Infantino said. "I apologized for the mistakes that we made in relation to the communication and consultation process related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which had many consequences.

"It's important to remember it was just a proposal, and in no way a done deal, just a proposal that actually intended to enable FIFA to invest more in our member associations as opposed to replacing support from existing resources. It's intention was merely to create more success stories like the ones that inspired people around the world during the FIFA 2026 World Cup, because football is for everyone."

FIFA confirmed in a subsequent release that the FFE plan "has been permanently withdrawn and will not reappear in any form" and that Infantino's plan to distribute $6 billion in funding across the 211 member associations was also discussed positively.

Yahya reaffirmed his support for Infantino in the upcoming presidential election.

"There have been good ideas, such as the 48-team World Cup, which was initially contested by some but has proved vital for world football, and perhaps further projects will follow, but the key point for us – and to answer your question – is that we see Gianni as the right person to continue leading football.

"I've said that President Gianni Infantino is taking football forward worldwide. I come from the African continent and know what I'm talking about. He wants to promote football; he wants everyone to be involved, and that is precisely why we expanded the World Cup to 48 teams – and that is exactly what has delivered results."

"I am certain that Gianni Infantino is the right president," he concluded. "The majority want Gianni Infantino to stay."

Other topics addressed by Infantino in the three-and-a-half-hour meeting included US striker Folarin Balogun's suspended red-card ban at the World Cup, the FIFA Peace Prize, and funding for national associations, according to a report by the BBC .

However, not everyone was impressed with the responses given. "We asked a great many critical questions, but there were no satisfactory answers from my point of view," said FIFA Council member Bernd Neuendorf, the head of the German FA.

The next FIFA presidential election will take place on Thursday, March 18, 2027 at the next FIFA Congress meeting.

As of now, incumbent Gianni Infantino is the only confirmed individual to stand for election, as no challenger has stepped up yet to contest his station.

FIFA statutes allow Infantino to stand for re-election one more time, which would be his fourth term as FIFA president.

Individuals are allowed a maximum of three full terms as president. Infantino's first term as president came after a special election following the resignation of Sepp Blatter, which does not count towards his term limit.