World football governing body FIFA has reaffirmed its support for its president, Gianni Infantino, following a crisis meeting held in Morocco on Wednesday, August 6, 2026. The meeting came amid mounting calls for Infantino to resign after a controversial plan to sell a 20% stake in a new commercial rights entity was met with fierce backlash and subsequently withdrawn last Friday.

FIFA also issued an apology to its member associations for mistakes made regarding the now-shelved proposal to open the World Cup to private investment. The plan drew criticism partly due to the involvement of a company with family links to US President Donald Trump. UEFA, European football’s governing body, described the proposal as a "shabby, backroom, opaque deal" orchestrated by Infantino.

The FIFA statement said, "A review will now be conducted, and a report will be presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting," signaling a comprehensive reckoning with the current presidency.

Pressure on Infantino has intensified, including from two senior FIFA officials, with European Leagues opposing the potential expansion of the World Cup to 64 teams. They stated, “FIFA must not be allowed to continue taking unilaterally disruptive decisions.”

Additionally, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country co-hosted the 2026 World Cup alongside the US and Mexico, expressed a loss of confidence in Infantino's leadership abilities.

Sources