Infantino to remain Fifa president after executive meeting in Morocco

By Reuben Castle — 5 August 2026 — 4 min read

Gianni Infantino is set to continue as Fifa president following a meeting with senior executives in Rabat, Morocco. Despite previous criticism and an admission of “mistakes” by world football’s governing body, Infantino received backing from the management board.

The meeting, held on Wednesday at Fifa’s Africa office, addressed concerns surrounding Infantino’s earlier proposal to sell stakes in Fifa competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, to private investors through a new subsidiary, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE). A statement of support for Infantino was released four hours after the meeting concluded.

Executive backing despite criticism

The decision to retain Infantino comes after significant backlash, including from Uefa, which had previously stated a loss of confidence in his leadership. Uefa had described the FFE proposal as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal” and had threatened legal action against Fifa. Several member associations, including Wales, had also withdrawn support for Infantino’s re-election.

Internal criticism also emerged, with secretary general Mattias Grofstrom, who attended Wednesday’s meeting, describing the situation in an internal memo as “a sad and reproachable series of events.” However, following the meeting, Grofstrom and the management board “reaffirmed their full support” for Infantino.

Fifa acknowledged that “mistakes” were made regarding the FFE proposal, stating that it was “not the intention” for the Fifa Council and member associations to “feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently.” The organisation also admitted errors were made after the proposal was leaked to the media.

Fifa has since written to the Council and member associations to apologise for these errors, committing to ensure they do not happen again and announcing a review. However, the organisation also stated it “will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process and will take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard its name and reputation.”

Earlier, Fifa denied reports that Infantino had promised Morocco the hosting rights for the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for support, calling the claim “false and misleading.” The decision on the final’s location, with the tournament also hosted by Spain and Portugal, will be made “in due course.”

Reactions and future challenges

The show of support from Fifa executives followed further criticism of Infantino. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country co-hosted a recent World Cup, expressed a loss of confidence in the president. Luis Figo, a former player for Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Portugal, called for Infantino’s immediate resignation, stating that Infantino “has debased the office that he promised to elevate.”

Despite the controversies, Infantino, 56, appears prepared to seek re-election for a fourth term. Potential rivals have until 18 November to put forward their names, with the election scheduled for the Fifa Congress in Morocco in March 2027. A candidate requires 106 votes from Fifa’s 211 members to win.

While Concacaf has criticised Infantino, it has not gone as far as Uefa in expressing a loss of confidence. The Asian confederation also rejected the FFE plan but has not issued a blanket statement since its abortion. Uefa, despite its significant influence, may need broader global support to challenge Infantino effectively.

Outside of Europe, only Jordan has publicly called for Infantino to step down. Conversely, countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, DR Congo, and the Philippines have backed Infantino, many having benefited from funding through Fifa’s Fifa Forward programme. This programme, a precursor to FFE, provided $8m in each three-year cycle to member associations.

Uefa faces the challenge of convincing these countries that an alternative presidential candidate could offer similar financial programmes with increased transparency. Infantino’s tenure has been marked by various controversies, including a 2018 deal with SoftBank for an expanded Club World Cup and global Nations League, and the Qatar World Cup.

The city of Salé, across the river from Rabat, has seen significant transformation, including the establishment of Fifa’s African headquarters last July. Reports indicate Infantino has been in Salé this week, with aides reportedly contacting Fifa Legends to garner public support.

Fifa stated that despite the acknowledged mistakes, all actions taken were in full compliance with the Fifa regulatory framework. The organisation believes the outcomes of the meeting will “strengthen Fifa’s governance” and “restore confidence in the organisation.” However, such statements and executive approval are unlikely to diminish Uefa’s strong opposition.

The situation highlights ongoing tensions within global football governance, with the upcoming election in March 2027 set to be a significant event for the sport.

Source: bbc.co.uk