FIFA president Infantino apologises for botched plans to sell World Cup stakes

Gianni Infantino has apologised to the FIFA Council following the collapse of his controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and other FIFA tournaments to private investors, but the apology has done little to ease calls for accountability.

Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt has questioned whether the FIFA president remains fit for office, accusing him of failing to answer serious questions about the proposal and other controversies surrounding his leadership.

Infantino apologised for the mistakes made in connection with the withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal during a three-and-a-half-hour FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, the first official gathering since details of the plan emerged in July.

The proposal, which sought private investment in FIFA tournaments, attracted significant opposition after details were reported by The Times in the week following the World Cup final. Infantino had reportedly failed to share the plan with council members before it became public.

Hewitt, who represents the FA on the council, said she believed the FIFA president deeply regretted that decision. However, she insisted that an apology was insufficient without transparency and answers to the questions raised by his critics.

FIFA confirmed Infantino’s apology in a statement following the meeting, while the president also called for unity and reiterated that “football is for everyone, everywhere”.

Despite the conciliatory message, opposition to Infantino remains strong. UEFA has led calls for him to step down, with resistance also coming from the Asian confederation and Concacaf, which represents countries across North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Infantino is planning to stand for re-election in March, but the collapse of the investment proposal has intensified scrutiny of his leadership.

Hewitt made clear that Infantino’s apology had not resolved the concerns surrounding his presidency, particularly his failure to address questions about the FFE proposal and other recent controversies. These include his involvement in the handling of Folarin Balogun’s suspension at the World Cup following a call from US president Donald Trump, as well as the FIFA Peace Prize.

Trump later admitted that he had personally contacted Infantino to request a review of the red card given to Balogun against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which led to the suspension being paused. Hewitt had previously written to Infantino requesting an independent review of both the private investment proposal and the handling of the Balogun case.

According to Hewitt, Infantino asked council members to submit their questions in writing rather than answering them during the meeting.

“The man has to answer those questions, and if he doesn’t answer those questions, no, he’s not fit to be Fifa president, and that was what was shared in the meeting,” she told reporters in Zurich.

She also demanded the release of documents relating to the FFE proposal, arguing that transparency was essential to restoring confidence in FIFA’s leadership. Infantino’s apology may acknowledge the mistakes surrounding the failed plan, but the growing pressure from influential football administrators suggests that the controversy is far from over.