FIFA Reaffirms Full Support for Gianni Infantino, Withdraws FFE Proposal

FIFA has reaffirmed its full support for President Gianni Infantino while officially withdrawing the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, following a high-level leadership meeting in Rabat, Morocco.

FIFA leadership holds constructive and positive meeting in Rabat, Morocco

The FIFA Secretary General and members of the FIFA Management Board in attendance reaffirmed their full support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as the only official elected by the 211 FIFA Member… pic.twitter.com/IlmSOq1se8

— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) August 5, 2026

During the meeting, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström and members of the FIFA Management Board expressed their unanimous confidence in Infantino, the only official elected by FIFA's 211 Member Associations. In return, the FIFA President praised the Secretary General and the FIFA Administration for their work in delivering FIFA's global vision.

The leadership acknowledged that communication and decision-making processes between the FIFA President, Secretary General, and Management Board could be improved to enhance transparency and efficiency.

The meeting also recognized the FIFA Administration's role in successfully delivering the FIFA World Cup 2026, highlighting the importance of unified leadership throughout the tournament.

A major topic of discussion was the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. FIFA admitted that mistakes were made during the proposal's development and communication, acknowledging that FIFA Council members and Member Associations should have been more involved in the process. Additional errors following the proposal's leak to the media were also recognized.

In a separate letter to the FIFA Council and Member Associations, FIFA issued an apology and pledged to ensure similar mistakes are not repeated. A formal review will be conducted, with findings to be presented at the next FIFA Council meeting.

FIFA confirmed that the FFE proposal has now been completely withdrawn. While admitting procedural shortcomings, the organization stressed that all actions taken complied fully with FIFA's regulatory framework.

Looking ahead, FIFA said it will continue working with stakeholders to strengthen the FIFA Forward programme and support football development across its 211 Member Associations, while reinforcing its commitment to transparency, good governance, and protecting the organization's integrity.