FIFA president Gianni Infantino has apologised to members of the FIFA Council over his controversial World Cup sell-off plan, but the gesture has failed to ease pressure on his leadership, with European football officials maintaining calls for his resignation.
Infantino faced his critics during a three-and-a-half-hour Council meeting in Zurich on Thursday, October 15, 2026, following the collapse of his proposal to sell a minority stake in FIFA’s commercial operations to private investors.
The plan, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), was expected to raise $4.2 billion, with the proceeds intended to support football development worldwide.
However, the proposal triggered widespread opposition over concerns about transparency and the failure to consult key FIFA officials before its announcement.
Infantino apologised for not informing Council members earlier, but English Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt said the explanation did little to address their concerns.
Hewitt insisted that the FIFA president must provide answers to outstanding questions and release documents relating to the abandoned proposal.
She warned that his position would become untenable if he failed to provide satisfactory responses.
German Football Association president Bernd Neuendorf also expressed dissatisfaction with the meeting, arguing that FIFA needed leadership capable of restoring confidence in the organisation.
The controversy has intensified divisions within world football, with European leaders among those pushing for significant changes to FIFA’s leadership and governance.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, is expected to seek re-election in March 2027.
