Gianni Infantino apologized to FIFA Council members Thursday for his scrapped World Cup sell-off plan, but the gesture did little to quiet European football leaders who say he should resign before the FIFA presidential election in March 2027. The apology came during a 3.5-hour FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, according to FOX Sports.
The withdrawn proposal, known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan, would have sold at least a 20% stake in future FIFA tournaments to investors led by Joshua Kushner, according to Sporting News. The proposed company carried a $20 billion valuation.
What Infantino Told The Council
Media reports first revealed the plan nine days after the 2026 World Cup final, which wrapped up a tournament that generated $15 billion in revenue. Ahmed Yahya, FIFA Council member and president of the Mauritania football association, confirmed the apology took place and voiced continued support for Infantino. “After finally withdrawing this proposal, President Gianni Infantino apologised to the members of the Executive Committee,” Yahya said. Yahya added that he sees Infantino as the right person to continue leading football.
Infantino did not hand over documents or detailed records on the plan during the meeting. Instead, he asked European soccer officials to submit their questions in writing, a response that frustrated delegates who wanted specifics on how the stake sale would have been valued and structured.
Why European Leaders Still Want Him Gone
UEFA is leading the push to remove Infantino before or at next year’s election, according to Sky Sports. Debbie Hewitt, chair of the English Football Association and a FIFA vice president, said accountability is the central issue. “The man has to answer those questions. If he doesn’t answer those questions, no, he is not fit to be the FIFA president,” Hewitt said.
Bernd Neuendorf, the German soccer leader who is one of eight UEFA delegates among the 37-member FIFA Council, said the apology fell short. “No satisfactory answers were provided,” Neuendorf said. He added, “We need a person of integrity, someone who can be expected to restore the reputation of the association, which has undoubtedly been lost.”
UEFA believes the 20% stake was being offered to investors at a knockdown price. The confederation has asked courts in the United States for the right to obtain evidence to support a criminal complaint against Infantino in Switzerland. Court filings allege possible mismanagement of FIFA finances tied to how the intended subsidiary running tournament commercial rights was valued, a claim detailed in Total Apex Sports’ earlier report on Infantino’s undeclared World Cup payment.
What The Plan Would Have Meant For The World Cup
Before withdrawing the proposal, Infantino had given national football associations until Sept. 19 to back the sell-off, dangling a £30.1 million incentive for approval. Reports have since surfaced that Infantino received previously undisclosed compensation from the business entity overseeing the 2026 World Cup, which could violate FIFA statutes. Sky Sports and other outlets reported Infantino collected an additional £1.3 million fee in 2024 on top of his FIFA salary.
European officials also pressed Infantino at the meeting on the Folarin Balogun red-card case from the World Cup and how President Donald Trump intervened on behalf of the U.S. national team forward. FIFA will also review whether to keep awarding the peace prize it created for Trump in December 2025.
Fund For Member Associations
Separately from the scrapped equity sale, FIFA has proposed a $6.35 billion development fund covering 2027 through 2030 for its 211 member associations, according to ESPN. Each national association would receive $25 million over the four-year span, up from an originally proposed $10 million. FIFA also plans to distribute more than $3.5 billion from its reserves based on the financial success of the 48-team World Cup, with each of the six continental confederations receiving $99 million. The financial plan is set to be finalized by the FIFA Council in December 2026, pending final approval from the 77th FIFA Congress in March 2027.
What’s Next
Anyone looking to challenge Infantino for the FIFA presidency has until Nov. 18 to declare candidacy. The election is scheduled for March 18, 2027. FIFA statutes permit Infantino to run again, which would mark a fourth term if he wins. The financial plan covering member association payouts goes before the FIFA Congress that same month.
More EPL news from Total Apex Sports.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
