Gianni Infantino, who assumed the FIFA presidency in 2016, is facing serious allegations of dishonesty. An open letter signed by the heads and administrative leaders of Uefa, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation asserts that trust has been eroded through deceptive practices.
The criticism centers on the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan. This initiative proposed establishing a new entity to control the commercial and ticketing rights for FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, while selling a 21% stake to a private equity firm. Following intense backlash from various confederations—specifically threats from Uefa to boycott FIFA events—the proposal was eventually scrapped.
The joint letter argues that the situation goes beyond policy, stating that it concerns the core integrity of the sport and its leadership. The signatories contend that when an individual prioritizes personal authority over the collective, they have failed in their professional obligations. This pushback follows a FIFA statement that accused critics of attempting to destabilize the organization and its president. Consequently, the confederations are demanding an impartial, third-party investigation into the matter, challenging FIFA’s plan to simply report to its own council.
