Infantino apologises over scrapped FIFA investment plan

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has apologised to the FIFA Council over a scrapped investment proposal that would have transferred part of the world football governing body’s commercial rights to a private investment firm.

However, the apology has failed to ease concerns among some senior football officials, with Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt insisting that Infantino must release the relevant documents and answer outstanding questions.

The FIFA Council met in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday for the first time since details of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal emerged. The plan was withdrawn within days of becoming public.

During a three-and-a-half-hour meeting, Infantino also faced questions about the suspended red-card ban involving United States striker Folarin Balogun, the FIFA Peace Prize awarded to US President Donald Trump and funding for national football associations.

In a video statement released after the meeting, Infantino acknowledged mistakes in the handling of the proposal, particularly the communication and consultation process.

“First of all I apologised for the mistakes that we made in relation to the communication and consultation process related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which led to many consequences,” he said.

Infantino maintained that the proposal was not a concluded deal and was intended to increase investment in FIFA’s member associations rather than replace funding from existing sources.

He described the Council meeting as constructive and said he would respond to questions in writing in due course.

Hewitt demands answers from Infantino

Hewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president, said several questions remained unanswered despite what she described as the most robust, frank and open Council meeting she had experienced.

“One of the disappointing things is that we didn’t get answers to anything that we had specifically requested, for example getting the papers from FFE,” she said.

Hewitt said she had repeatedly requested the documents relating to the proposal but had not received them, even after raising the issue at Thursday’s meeting.

“I think the man has to answer those questions and if he doesn’t answer those questions now, he’s not fit to be FIFA president, and that was what was shared in the meeting,” she added.

She acknowledged that Infantino had shown some contrition in his apology but argued that the Council needed a fuller explanation of how the proposal was developed and why members had not been consulted adequately.

Hewitt said the responses would influence her assessment of whether Infantino remained the right person to lead FIFA.

UEFA maintains opposition to Infantino

UEFA, European football’s governing body, has been among Infantino’s strongest critics and has repeatedly called for him to step down.

The organisation has prepared criminal legal proceedings against the FIFA president and lodged claims in three United States courts seeking the release of documents relating to the FFE proposal.

Hewitt said she hoped Infantino would release the documents voluntarily, allowing Council members to understand what happened and determine whether further action was necessary.

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Asked whether UEFA’s position on Infantino had changed, she said nothing had shifted, adding that the apology had not provided new information to alter her view.

Infantino is expected to seek a third term as FIFA president in March 2027. However, a credible challenger has yet to emerge, while UEFA and other critics continue to push for greater accountability and leadership reforms.

Balogun case, FIFA Peace Prize also under scrutiny

The Council meeting also examined the decision to suspend the one-match ban imposed on Balogun following his sending-off during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Hewitt described the matter as one of the major concerns raised at the meeting. FIFA’s Legal Committee is expected to review disciplinary procedures and report back to the Council in December.

The FIFA Peace Prize, awarded to Trump, was also discussed. FIFA’s Football Social Responsibility Committee has been tasked with examining how the award came about, who made the decision and whether changes to the initiative are necessary.

Hewitt warned that controversies involving disciplinary decisions, commercial arrangements and the Peace Prize had put football’s reputation at risk.

She said FIFA needed to understand what had happened before moving forward, stressing that transparency and accountability were essential to restoring confidence in the organisation.

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