FIFA officials back Infantino after World Cup commercial plan withdrawn

FIFA President Gianni Infantino retained the backing of senior officials at an emergency meeting in Morocco on August 5, 2026, following a failed proposal to sell commercial stakes in the World Cup that sparked widespread criticism and threats of boycotts from major football confederations. The meeting in Rabat came after Infantino withdrew the plan, which would have created a new commercial entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to sell minority stakes to private investors.

The proposal, floated in late July 2026, aimed to raise approximately $4.2 billion by selling up to a 20 percent stake in the entity. It promised each of FIFA's 211 member associations a one-time payment of between $20 million and $40 million. The plan was met with immediate and fierce opposition from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), who criticized the lack of consultation and potential conflicts of interest. UEFA's 55 member federations voted to boycott all FIFA competitions if the proposal proceeded.

Following the backlash, Infantino withdrew the plan on August 5, 2026. At the subsequent crisis...