Gianni Infantino says sorry for the World Cup ticket plan in his first message since people started asking him to resign.
Gianni Infantino has shared an apology after his controversial World Cup plan caused a big reaction, with many calling for him to step down. It’s been a hectic few weeks for FIFA and its president since the World Cup wrapped up.
Soon after Spain won the trophy by beating Argentina, news came out about Infantino’s bold idea to sell shares in the World Cup. The plan was to invite outside investors to buy small parts of a new company called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). This company, which was said to be worth around £15 billion, would then help run FIFA’s commercial activities and events, including the World Cup.
Unsurprisingly, the idea was met with a lot of criticism, especially from UEFA and its 55 member associations, who even threatened to boycott FIFA competitions if the plan went ahead. At first, Infantino defended the proposal, but after the backlash, FIFA officially dropped the plan.
Now, FIFA and Infantino have put out a joint statement saying sorry and admitting that “mistakes were made” in how the plan was shared. They said it wasn’t their intention to leave the FIFA Council and member associations out of the process, and that things should have been handled differently. They also apologized for mistakes after the proposal was leaked to the media and promised that it won’t happen again.
FIFA made it clear that the plan is completely off the table and promised a thorough review of what went wrong, which will be shared at the next FIFA Council meeting. At the same time, the group warned against attacks on its reputation and said it will do whatever it takes to protect its name.
Since the proposal was dropped, Infantino has faced more pressure about his future as FIFA president. Some football associations, including England, have pulled their support letters. Infantino is expected to run for re-election in March, aiming for a fourth and final term. To win, he needs 106 votes from FIFA’s 211 members, which is now looking tough given the lost support.
Before the election, FIFA reaffirmed its full support for Infantino, saying he will remain president at least until then. Their statement said: “The FIFA Secretary General and the Management Board fully support FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who is the only official elected by the 211 FIFA Member Associations.” Infantino also pledged his full support to the Secretary General and FIFA Administration for their great work.
In a letter to FIFA council members, Infantino and FIFA management explained that they met recently to discuss recent events and shared an update. They praised the administration’s work in delivering the 2026 World Cup and emphasized the importance of teamwork between the President, Secretary General, and Management Board.
They also agreed that communication and processes could be improved and said they are confident that the meeting’s outcomes will strengthen FIFA’s governance, restore trust, and prepare the organization for future challenges—all while continuing to grow football worldwide.
They ended by acknowledging the mistakes made with the FFE plan and apologized again. They promised a review report would come to the next FIFA Council meeting, confirmed the plan is withdrawn, and warned that FIFA will defend its integrity and reputation moving forward.
They closed by saying they’re ready to support the development of football with the FIFA Forward program and are happy to answer any questions. They look forward to seeing the members soon.
Signed,
Gianni Infantino and Mattias Grafstrom