Infantino proposes FIFA governance review after FFE backlash — SkimNews
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- Infantino proposed an independent external review of FIFA's operations in a letter to the FIFA Council and all 211 national associations, with a consultation on the president's role, transparency, participation, and accountability ahead of the 15 October Council meeting — the first since the crisis began.
- Infantino acknowledged his aborted FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan — which would have sold a 21% stake in a new company managing commercial and ticketing rights for World Cups and other competitions to a private investment firm — 'entered the public domain before Fifa's planned institutional process had been completed' and caused concern.
- UEFA and Concacaf have demanded FIFA pay $10 million from its cash reserves to each of its 211 member associations, intensifying pressure on Infantino.
- UEFA began preparing criminal legal proceedings against Infantino at US courts last month over FFE, demanding release of all documents; FIFA hit back accusing UEFA of a 'smear campaign against it and its leadership.'
- Debbie Hewitt, Football Association chair and FIFA vice-president, told Infantino earlier this month to release all documents relating to the FFE plan.
- Infantino, 56, will stand for a fourth term in March 2027; potential opponents have until 18 November to declare candidacies, and critics are pushing for term limits, a separation between the president and FIFA administration, and redistribution of FIFA's cash reserves.
Why it matters: Infantino is suddenly accepting the kind of governance review he previously rejected, and the 15 October Council meeting is his first chance to de-escalate before the 18 November deadline for opposition candidates to declare — but his critics want structural changes (term limits, presidential power curbs, cash redistribution) that a mere procedural concession won't satisfy, putting his March 2027 fourth-term bid directly at stake.
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