By Sandra Kenneth
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has proposed a broad consultation on decision-making within football’s world governing body following fierce opposition to a now-abandoned plan to introduce private investment to the World Cup.
In a formal letter sent to FIFA’s 211 member associations, Infantino outlined a structured review examining the core roles of the president, council, and congress. The initiative aims to improve internal transparency and broaden participation across member nations.
The proposed governance review follows intense criticism surrounding the shelved “FIFA Forward Enterprise” initiative. Under the proposal, external private investors would have been allowed to acquire equity stakes in a newly created commercial entity tasked with overseeing FIFA’s marquee international tournaments.
The plan met swift resistance from key stakeholder organizations—most notably UEFA, which threatened a tournament boycott and publicly demanded Infantino’s resignation before the project was withdrawn.
Addressing the controversy, Infantino maintained that FIFA’s sporting independence and institutional authority “were never for sale.” However, he conceded that premature leaks created a public perception that commercial arrangements had been finalized prior to formal internal consensus.
Member associations have been requested to submit initial reform proposals for review at the next FIFA Council meeting scheduled for October 15.
The reform call comes as Infantino prepares to stand for re-election next March. While he remains the sole declared candidate, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani is widely expected to launch a rival bid for the presidency.
