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Fifa President Infantino Proposes External Review Amid Reform Pressure
Confirmed
In Short: Fifa President Gianni Infantino has proposed an external review of the organization's governance framework and is open to consultations with stakeholders to strengthen decision-making processes.
Fifa President Gianni Infantino has proposed an external review of the organization's governance framework in a letter to the Fifa Council and member association presidents, seen by Reuters and Al Jazeera.
Infantino wrote that he would 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.
He also said he would propose consultations with confederations, member associations, and other stakeholders on strengthening Fifa’s decision-making processes.
The proposal comes after Infantino's controversial plan to sell a minority stake in a Fifa-controlled commercial company was abandoned in July due to opposition and boycott threats from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and Concacaf.
Infantino acknowledged in his letter that the handling of the now-abandoned investment plan had caused outrage among member associations.
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.
The proposal became public before it could be presented in full to the council and member associations, according to Infantino.
Infantino said he had heard differing ideas about who should decide major strategic questions and that member associations’ positions on proposals or governance matters would not affect their treatment by Fifa.
Infantino's letter comes after Uefa and Concacaf demanded Fifa pays $10m to all 211 members from its cash reserves.
Infantino faces increasing pressure over his aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights of all Fifa competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold off to a private investment company.
UEFA is preparing to file criminal proceedings against Infantino over the abandoned plan to sell World Cup commercial rights, with potential charges for criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code.
Infantino has come under fire for breaching trust through undisclosed negotiations over the proposed transaction, according to UEFA.
What's confirmed
- But the proposal became public before it could be presented in full to the council and member associations, according to Infantino.
What's still developing
- Suggestions received by the October 15 FIFA Council meeting could be discussed there, with later submissions also considered within a deadline yet to be specified.
- Earlier this month, Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, a Fifa vice-president, told Infantino to release all documents relating to his controversial plan.
- Last month, European football's governing body Uefa began preparing criminal legal proceedings against Infantino at courts in the US over the FFE plan, demanding the release of all documents.
- They had not." Infantino also claims that "democratic processes, independence and sporting authority were never for sale.
- "The FIFA President announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027. Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election," a FIFA spokesperson told Sky News on Sunday, according to the British broadcaster.
- The dispute has spilled into US courts, where UEFA is seeking documents and testimony for possible use in a criminal complaint against Infantino and other FIFA officials in Switzerland, while FIFA has asked a New York court to defer or reject the application.
- The FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 18, 2027, during the FIFA Congress in Morocco, with prospective candidates required to secure support from at least five member associations by November 18.
- Trabzonspor part ways with head coach Fatih Tekke Trabzonspor announced on Tuesday that the Süper Lig club has mutually agreed to part ways with head coach Fatih Tekke following crisis talks between Vice President Serkan Kilic and the coach to assess the team's future direction and align on a new roadmap serving the club's long-term interests.
- The confirmation came after Infantino avoided questions about his future while attending the opening of the FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in Katowice, Poland, on Saturday.
- FIFA has accused UEFA of conducting a coordinated "smear campaign," while UEFA alleged in a US legal filing dated August 28 that Infantino had promoted a "fraudulently off-market price for his own benefit" during the proposed transaction.