Infantino open to independent review of Fifa governance rules

Gianni Infantino, president of Fifa, signaled he would be open to an independent review of the organization’s governance system and said he is willing to consider reforms.

Facing a wave of criticism after the collapse of the “Fifa Forward Enterprise” (FFE) project, Infantino sent a letter on Monday laying out the proposal to all parties involved ahead of the next Fifa Council meeting, scheduled for October 15.

What Infantino told council members in his letter

“I will ask the Council whether it wishes to commission an external and independent assessment of Fifa’s current governance structure for major strategic initiatives and recommend possible improvements,” Infantino said.

“I propose that the Council establish a direct, structured consultation with a defined timeline with the confederations and member associations on how to further strengthen Fifa’s decision-making processes,” he added.

How the Fifa Forward Enterprise plan fell apart

Under the Fifa Forward Enterprise concept, private investors would have acquired shares in the World Cup and other competitions. The project, however, leaked publicly earlier than Infantino had planned, triggering fierce criticism and creating a split among member bodies.

Some of the organization’s most influential members, including Uefa, European football’s governing body, withdrew their support for Infantino and threatened to boycott Fifa tournaments.

“The proposal was disclosed before the institutional process planned by Fifa had been completed and before it could be fully presented to the Council and member associations. I recognize that, without the full context, this caused concern and created the impression that decisions had already been made. They had not,” Infantino wrote in the letter.

Uefa moves toward legal action in the United States

The fallout went well beyond an internal disagreement. Last month, Uefa began preparing criminal complaints against Infantino in courts in the United States over the FFE plan, seeking disclosure of all relevant documents.

Despite the controversy, Infantino continues to defend his goal of generating more revenue for football’s world governing body.

“Withdrawing this proposal does not diminish our ambition or our responsibility to reinvest a larger share of Fifa’s success into football. We will keep exploring sustainable ways to increase Fifa’s resources,” Infantino added. “What changes is not the ambition, but the strength of the process.”

Election for Fifa presidency looms in March 2027

This governance crisis comes at a politically sensitive moment for Fifa’s leadership.

In March 2027, the 56-year-old Fifa president will run for a fourth term, and any potential rivals have until November 18 to put forward a candidate to challenge him.