Infantino

UEFA’s Ceferin says FIFA trust still broken after Infantino investment row

UEFA president speaks for the first time since FIFA said it would review its decision-making, says trust still broken.

Al Jazeera2h ago

• neutral toward FIFA · 92%

Will anyone topple Infantino? How Fifa president is trying to cling on after World Cup sell-off debacle

Fifa president continues to lobby for re-election despite no other candidates coming forward to challenge him For Gianni Infantino there is no international break. The Fifa president is widely expected to make an appearance at the United Nations general assembly this week in New York, where he will lobby heads of state for their federations’ support as he continues his campaign to be re-elected next year. Infantino has not been idle during the lull since Fifa abandoned its World Cup sell-off plan last month, instead crisscrossing the globe on a private jet provided by Qatar Airways as part of its sponsorship deal with world football’s governing body. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Matt Hughes and Nick Ames18h ago

• critical toward FIFA · 99%
• critical toward Infantino · 99%

FAW chief Monney challenges Infantino's Fifa reform claims

Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney challenges suggestions Fifa is planning major reforms.

BBC23h ago

• neutral toward FIFA · 96%

FIFA President Infantino’s letter a ploy for re-election, says German FA

Infantino proposed an independent review of FIFA's decision-making process amid criticism of his leadership.

Al Jazeera22 Sept

• neutral toward FIFA · 96%

Infantino says he is open to talks over FIFA reform

Paris: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has proposed an independent review of the world soccer body's decision-making, in a move that could help him regain support after the withdrawal of a controversial private investment plan. "First, I will ask the Council whether it wishes to commission an independent external review of FIFA’s current governance framework for major strategic initiatives and recommend potential improvements," Infantino wrote to the FIFA ⁠Council and all 211 member association presidents in a letter seen by Reuters. He also said he would propose consultations with confederations, member associations and other stakeholders on strengthening FIFA's decision-making. The proposals would examine who has a say in major initiatives, including the respective roles of the president, Bureau, Council and Congress, and ‌how to improve transparency and accountability. Infantino faced a fierce backlash over his proposal to sell a 20% stake in FIFA's commercial rights, including the World Cup, to private investors. The plan was abandoned in July after opposition and boycott ‌threats, with UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF subsequently calling for changes to ‌FIFA's leadership. His opponents have been struggling to find a candidate to challenge Infantino, who will be running ‌for re-election in March in Rabat. Sources ‌familiar with the discussions told Reuters this month that he still had enough votes to win, prompting opponents to focus on curbing his powers. Infantino said ​the abandoned plan had explored ‌whether selling a minority stake in ​a FIFA-controlled commercial company could raise more money ⁠for football development. It would not have involved giving up control over sporting decisions, he said. But the proposal became public before it could be presented in full to the Council and member associations, according to Infantino. "I recognise that, ​without the full context, ⁠this caused concern and created ⁠the impression that decisions had already been taken. They had not," he wrote in the letter sent on Monday. "It remained a proposal, not a decision, and was always subject to the necessary approvals of the Council and the ⁠Member Associations. It has now been withdrawn and will not proceed." Infantino said he had heard differing ideas about who should decide major strategic questions. Some favoured requiring unanimous agreement in the Bureau, while others wanted such matters put directly to Congress and the member associations. "My role is not to pre-judge that discussion. Those who support a particular model should have the opportunity to set out their case clearly," he ‌wrote. Suggestions received by the October 15 Council meeting could be discussed there, with later submissions also considered within a deadline yet to be ​specified. Any changes to FIFA's statutes would need Congress approval. Infantino also said member associations' positions on proposals or governance matters would not affect their treatment by FIFA, whose development and solidarity programmes would continue under existing rules. "No association’s treatment will depend on its position on any proposal or institutional matter," he wrote. "I remain fully committed to ​leading FIFA and confident in what we ‌can achieve together."

• neutral toward FIFA · 90%

Infantino proposes an ‘independent external review’ of Fifa governance

President writes to council and member nations Infantino says he is ‘fully committed to leading Fifa’ The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, proposed an outside review of how the governing body ⁠makes major decisions on ⁠Monday, acknowledging in a ​letter to members that its handling of a now-abandoned investment plan had caused concern. “First, I will ask the council whether it wishes to commission an independent external review ⁠of Fifa’s current governance framework for major strategic initiatives and recommend potential improvements,” Infantino wrote to the Fifa council and all 211 member association presidents. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Reuters21 Sept

• neutral toward Infantino · 90%

Infantino says he's 'open' to talks about FIFA reform in letter to football chiefs

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has written to football chiefs saying he is open to talks about reforming the organisation, without offering to quit his role.

Sky News21 Sept

• neutral toward FIFA · 87%

Infantino proposes external review of Fifa governance

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has proposed an external review of the governance of world football's governing body.

BBC21 Sept

• neutral toward FIFA · 97%

Infantino says open to FIFA reform talks after World Cup controversy

FIFA ⁠President Gianni Infantino on Monday proposed an external review of how the football association makes decisions, including who has a say in major initiatives. Infantino ​faced backlash and calls for a boycott over the summer after proposing to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors.

France 24•FRANCE 2421 Sept

• neutral toward FIFA · 91%

UEFA, CONCACAF demand FIFA make $2.1 billion payout to member groups amid funding row

UEFA and CONCACAF chiefs have urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to release around $2.1 billion from the governing body's reserves, calling for each of its 211 member associations to receive $10 million over the 2027-30 cycle. The demand comes amid tensions over Infantino's proposed sale of a stake in the World Cup to private investors, which was shelved after a backlash from European football.

France 24•FRANCE 2418 Sept

• neutral toward FIFA · 90%

English FA calls for Infantino to release FIFA World Cup sell-off documents

Gianni Infantino's World Cup selloff plan has faced global backlash with English FA latest to seek document release.

Al Jazeera17 Sept

• neutral toward FIFA · 88%

FA chair Hewitt demands Infantino release records of failed World Cup plan

Letter sent before Fifa council meeting on 15 October Infantino under pressure before presidential election The Football Association’s chair, Debbie Hewitt, has written to Gianni Infantino demanding that Fifa releases all documents relating to his abandoned World Cup sell-off plan and the decision to lift the USA striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension during last summer’s tournament. The Guardian revealed last month that Hewitt and other members of the Fifa council were lobbying for an independent review of the proposed Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) sell-off and the Balogun controversy. Their requests have been formalised in a letter sent to the Fifa president and his deputy, Mattias Grafström. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Matt Hughes17 Sept

• critical toward Infantino · 90%

FA chair demands Infantino release World Cup sell-off documents

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has been told to release all documents relating to his controversial plan to sell off a stake in the World Cup.

BBC17 Sept

• critical toward Infantino · 90%

FA chair calls for release of files on Infantino's controversial World Cup sell-off plan

England's FIFA vice president has called for an independent review into two of FIFA's World Cup scandals, Sky News understands.

Sky News17 Sept

• critical toward Infantino · 85%

FIFA to present review of Infantino’s shelved investment plan to Council

A review of FIFA President Gianni Infantino's failed World Cup selloff to be presented to governing body's Council.

Al Jazeera16 Sept

• neutral toward FIFA · 91%

FIFA Legal Committee faces allegations of evading questions on Infantino’s World Cup proposal

FIFA's governance credibility is at stake, with potential legal scrutiny threatening to expose deeper issues in its decision-making processes.

CryptoBriefing•Editorial Team12 Sept

Danish FA allege FIFA Legal Committee evaded questions on Infantino’s plan

FIFA Legal Committee accused of evading questions on controversial World Cup proposal put forward by Gianni Infantino.

Al Jazeera12 Sept

What can halt Fifa’s authoritarian turn under Infantino? Change from the outside | Jules Boykoff

The World Cup and its aftermath made clear that Fifa needs independent oversight by governments and NGOs dedicated to preserving the people’s game The 2026 World Cup was a whirling swirl of scintillating soccer that prompted much-needed conversations about the vitality of diaspora, the fortitude of the underdog, the power of sport. In a world fractured along myriad cultural axes floating in an entertainment system dominated by on-demand content, the tournament provided a moment, perhaps unlike any other event, that brought together people from different backgrounds to simultaneously experience something meaningful. After the tournament concluded, Fifa president Gianni Infantino dropped a political pipebomb into the after-party, proposing to privatize the World Cup by injecting $20bn in private capital, with an assist from JP Morgan and Thrive Capital, the investment vehicle orchestrated by Joshua Kushner, brother to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Jules Boykoff12 Sept

What can halt Fifa’s authoritarian turn under Infantino? Change from the outside | Jules Boykoff

The World Cup and its aftermath made clear that Fifa needs independent oversight by governments and NGOs dedicated to preserving the people’s game The 2026 World Cup was a whirling swirl of scintillating soccer that prompted much-needed conversations about the vitality of diaspora, the fortitude of the underdog, the power of sport. In a world fractured along myriad cultural axes floating in an entertainment system dominated by on-demand content, the tournament provided a moment, perhaps unlike any other event, that brought together people from different backgrounds to simultaneously experience something meaningful. After the tournament concluded, Fifa president Gianni Infantino dropped a political pipebomb into the after-party, proposing to privatize the World Cup by injecting $20bn in private capital, with an assist from JP Morgan and Thrive Capital, the investment vehicle orchestrated by Joshua Kushner, brother to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Jules Boykoff12 Sept

What can halt Fifa’s authoritarian turn under Infantino? Change from the outside | Jules Boykoff

The World Cup and its aftermath made clear that Fifa needs independent oversight by governments and NGOs dedicated to preserving the people’s game The 2026 World Cup was a whirling swirl of scintillating soccer that prompted much-needed conversations about the vitality of diaspora, the fortitude of the underdog, the power of sport. In a world fractured along myriad cultural axes floating in an entertainment system dominated by on-demand content, the tournament provided a moment, perhaps unlike any other event, that brought together people from different backgrounds to simultaneously experience something meaningful. After the tournament concluded, Fifa president Gianni Infantino dropped a political pipebomb into the after-party, proposing to privatize the World Cup by injecting $20bn in private capital, with an assist from JP Morgan and Thrive Capital, the investment vehicle orchestrated by Joshua Kushner, brother to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Jules Boykoff12 Sept