FIFA pledges to defend Infantino after World Cup rights plan collapses

What the report says

FIFA has said it will give President Gianni Infantino its full backing after a controversial plan to sell part of World Cup commercial rights was withdrawn, ending a brief but serious internal revolt. Al Jazeera reported that the decision followed a crisis meeting in Rabat, Morocco, after pressure from UEFA and other regional confederations raised questions about Infantino’s leadership and his path to a possible fourth term.

According to FIFA’s statement, Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom and members of the management board expressed support for Infantino as the only elected official chosen by FIFA’s 211 member associations. The organization also said Infantino, in turn, backed Grafstrom and the administration. Officials acknowledged that mistakes were made over the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan, which would have involved selling a 20 percent stake in a new commercial rights body to private investors in an effort to raise $4.2bn.

The proposal also drew attention because of reported links to a company with family ties to US President Donald Trump, although the article did not say Trump was involved directly. FIFA said an apology had been sent to its council and member associations, and that a review would follow. The dispute matters because it exposed unusual public dissent inside football’s global governing structure, with UEFA saying it had lost confidence in Infantino and other confederations reportedly considering stronger action.