Infantino meets FIFA Council in Zurich after collapse of tournament stake sale

Mixed · 2FIFA president Gianni Infantino meets the FIFA Council in Zurich on Thursday, his first meeting with the governing body's top officials since his plan to sell a stake in FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, collapsed. 1 2 Mixed · 2The leaders of three confederations, UEFA (Europe), AFC (Asia) and CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean), have called on him to resign, and their representatives will attend alongside those from Africa, South America and Oceania. 1 2 Centre · 1The council's agenda includes the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme, which Infantino abandoned within days of announcing it in July. It would have sold a minority stake in a FIFA commercial subsidiary to private investors, with a company launched by Joshua Kushner, brother of Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, named as proposed lead investor. 1

Centre · 1The 37-member council will also address FIFA's governance. Some of the sport's most powerful figures want to limit Infantino's powers if they cannot force him out. Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter, reports that finding a replacement is unlikely but his opponents want to leave him more isolated and curb his powers. 1 Centre · 1The FFE plan exposed a split in world football: Aleksander Ceferin (UEFA), Salman Al Khalifa (AFC) and Victor Montagliani (CONCACAF) said it was time for change at the top of FIFA. Infantino, 56, has been canvassing support, received a standing ovation from African football leaders last week in Cape Verde, and is expected to be backed by South America. Many Asian countries, including a bloc of Arab nations, have also offered support despite the AFC's criticism. 1 Centre · 1Infantino will stand for re-election in March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco, with a November 18 deadline for nominations. Former Switzerland and Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega announced last week that he intends to run, but has not confirmed that he has the backing of the five national associations required. 1

Mixed · 2Council members are also expected to discuss FIFA's financial reserves and how much it can release to member associations, its disciplinary procedures, its governance framework and the Peace Prize controversially awarded to US President Donald Trump last year. Last month UEFA and CONCACAF called for $10 million to be released to each of FIFA's 211 member associations, countering the FFE proposal, under which associations could receive $20 million in development funding and potentially a further $20 million. 2 1 Mixed · 2Reactions to the meeting differ. Emanuel Medeiros of the Sport Integrity Global Alliance said FIFA needs a "frank discussion" and an independent, transparent governance review. Miguel Maduro, who chaired the FIFA Governance Committee in 2016 before Infantino sacked him, said he would be surprised if anything meaningful came of it and that any review would have limited credibility given FIFA's track record. 1 2