Rabat meeting addresses FIFA leadership questions amid criticism

By Liam Tremblay — 5 August 2026 — 3 min read

Infantino faces FIFA executives in Morocco

Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, is meeting with senior leaders of football’s world governing body in Morocco on Wednesday. This comes as criticism intensifies following the recent shelving of his plan to sell off FIFA’s commercial and event operations. The meeting, understood to be taking place at FIFA’s Africa office in Rabat, includes Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom and other members of the FIFA management board.

Among those in attendance are finance chief Thomas Peyer, legal chief Emilio Garcia Silvero, chief of staff Daniel O’Toole, chief of member associations Elkhan Mammadov, and media relations director Bryan Swanson. The intention of the meeting is not entirely clear, but it is anticipated that Infantino will try to mend relationships to secure his position.

The gathering follows a critical internal memo sent by Grafstrom to FIFA staff, describing recent events as a “sad and reproachable series of events” that were “difficult to comprehend and accept.” Kevin Lamour, FIFA’s chief operating officer, also stated that the private investment plan was “the project of one person” and that FIFA’s own administration felt “deceived.”

Key questions and internal dissent

The controversy led to the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy and governance, who called the proposal “a bad deal for football” that would “mortgage football’s future.” Cordeiro posed several questions that Infantino is likely to face, including inquiries about the deal’s necessity, oversight, beneficiaries, and the competitive process involved. Member associations had been given a deadline of September 19 to approve the plan or risk missing out on additional funding.

Arsene Wenger, chief of global football development for FIFA, has distanced himself from the proposal, stating he was “not involved” in the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan and that its abandonment was “absolutely necessary and beyond question.” Prince Ali, president of the Jordanian Football Association, accused FIFA of creating a situation amounting to “blackmail” over unpaid prize money and support for Infantino’s re-election. These claims have not been verified, and FIFA has not commented.

UEFA has expressed a loss of confidence in Infantino’s leadership, and several member associations, including Wales, have withdrawn support for his re-election. Other European federations are also reconsidering their backing. Luis Figo, a former Portugal international, has called for Infantino’s resignation, describing his behaviour as “the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested.”

Potential paths forward for FIFA leadership

Despite the widespread criticism, Infantino has not indicated any intention to resign. He has been actively seeking support, with countries like Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, and the DR Congo issuing statements in his favour. Morocco, where Infantino has spent the past week, is seen as a supportive territory, especially as it will co-host the World Cup in 2030.

An extraordinary congress of the 211 FIFA member associations could be convened if 43 associations make a written request. UEFA, with 55 nations, could trigger such a congress, which would take at least two months to organize. This would effectively be a vote of no confidence, requiring 106 votes to pass. However, there are doubts that the necessary votes could be secured, and Infantino would have time to regain support.

Another avenue for change could involve finding a suitable candidate to challenge Infantino in the FIFA Congress election in March. Infantino ran unopposed in 2019 and 2023. The deadline to announce candidacy is November 18. Concacaf president Victor Montagliani is considered a potential unity candidate, but success is not guaranteed. Infantino’s ability to navigate this period of intense scrutiny will be crucial for his continued presidency.

The Philippine Football Federation has stated its continued support for the goal behind the shelved proposal, emphasizing the expansion of commercial and financial assistance to all 211 Member Associations.

Source: bbc.com