Infantino faces Fifa executives amid criticism over scrapped commercial plan

By Joel Kavanagh — 5 August 2026 — 3 min read

Gianni Infantino, president of Fifa, is scheduled to meet with senior leaders of football’s global governing body on Wednesday in Morocco. This meeting follows intensified criticism regarding his recently abandoned proposal to sell off Fifa’s commercial and event operations. The gathering is understood to be an attempt by Infantino to secure his position amidst growing opposition.

The controversy escalated after secretary general Mattias Grafstrom sent a critical internal memo to Fifa staff. Additionally, chief of global football development Arsene Wenger stated he was not involved in Infantino’s Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal, deeming its abortion “absolutely necessary and beyond question.”

Key Concerns and Questions

Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy and governance, resigned last Friday over the plan, describing it as “a bad deal for football” that would “mortgage football’s future.” Cordeiro’s resignation announcement included several fundamental questions that Infantino is likely to face during the meeting, such as the rationale behind the deal, the oversight mechanisms, and who ultimately benefits.

Member associations had been given a deadline of 19 September to approve the plan or risk missing out on additional funding. Cordeiro highlighted the lack of answers to critical questions, stating that asking member associations to make such a significant decision in a short timeframe is not a responsible approach to determining the future of the sport.

Kevin Lamour, Fifa’s chief operating officer, also commented on the private investment plan, calling it “the project of one person” and indicating that Fifa’s own administration felt “deceived.”

The meeting in Rabat, at Fifa’s Africa office, will include Grafstrom, finance chief Thomas Peyer, legal chief Emilio Garcia Silvero, chief of staff Daniel O’Toole, chief of member associations Elkhan Mammadov, and media relations director Bryan Swanson. While the exact intention of the meeting is not clear, it is anticipated that Infantino will try to mend relationships and find a way to remain president.

Grafstrom’s letter to Fifa staff described the events of the past week as “a sad and reproachable series of events” that were “difficult to comprehend and accept.”

Calls for Change and Potential Next Steps

The Union of European Football Associations (Uefa) has expressed a loss of confidence in Infantino’s leadership. Several member associations, including Wales, have withdrawn support for his re-election, with England expected to follow. However, some African countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, and DR Congo, have issued statements in support of Infantino.

Football legend Luis Figo has publicly stated that Infantino “must go,” calling his conduct “the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed.” Figo argued that the individual who would attempt to force such significant changes to enrich himself and his associates should not be part of the game’s future.

If Infantino decides to continue in his role, Uefa and other confederations may explore alternative methods to remove him. One option is for the Fifa Council to call an emergency meeting, which would require 19 of the 37 council members to request it. Doubts exist, however, about whether the necessary 19 votes could be secured.

Another potential step is an extraordinary congress of the 211 Fifa member associations. This would be triggered if one-fifth, or 43 associations, make a written request. Uefa, with its 55 nations, has the capacity to initiate such a congress. This process would take a minimum of two months, more likely three months, from its initiation, and success is not guaranteed. It would essentially function as an election without another candidate, requiring 106 votes for a vote of no confidence.

The deadline to announce candidacy for the Fifa Congress in March is 18 November. Concacaf president Victor Montagliani is considered a potential unity candidate to challenge Infantino. Infantino ran unopposed in his re-elections in 2019 and 2023.

The expectation within Fifa is that Infantino called the Rabat meeting to address concerns, project unity, and seek alignment with his senior staff. However, the response he receives remains uncertain, especially given the recent critical statements from key officials.

Source: bbc.com