Infantino calls crisis meeting as pressure mounts to step down as FIFA president
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called a crisis meeting after the FIFA Forward Enterprise project was withdrawn amid widespread criticism, increasing calls for his resignation. Several football bodies and officials, including UEFA and former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, have added to the pressure.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called a crisis meeting with general secretary Mattias Graefström and other senior officials. The central topic is the withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, which would have handed part of the World Cup commercial rights to private investors. According to Sky Sports, Infantino has faced mounting pressure from several sides in recent days.
FIFA's global football development director Arsène Wenger has publicly said the project’s withdrawal was "absolutely necessary", stressing that he was not personally involved. General secretary Graefström described the affair in a letter to staff as a "sad and deplorable series of events", adding that FIFA employees had been pulled into a political storm.
Additional pressure comes from Jordan Football Association president Prince Ali bin al Hussein, who has accused FIFA of "blackmail". He claims the organisation hinted that Jordan would receive its due funding more easily if it publicly backed Infantino staying in office. As a result, Jordan has said it will not support the president.
The possibility of Infantino’s resignation is increasingly discussed. Sky Sports football observer Kaveh Solhekol has said the FIFA president might choose to step down if he concludes he has lost the trust of the global football community. However, he might equally try to remain in office with support from African, South American and parts of Asian federations.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has expressed support for Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness, saying it is time for a woman to lead FIFA. Klaveness has been one of Infantino’s most outspoken critics, including opposition to the award of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia.
UEFA has already said it has lost confidence in Infantino, and several member associations, including England and Wales, have withdrawn backing for his re-election in 2027. UEFA is also considering legal action related to the FFE project.
