FIFA Apologizes for Scrapped World Cup Stake Sale, Backs Infantino Amid Boycott Threats

FIFA top executives have formally apologized to member federations and admitted handling errors while reaffirming their full support for President Gianni Infantino, following the collapse of a controversial plan to sell commercial stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

The governance crisis erupted after FIFA was forced to withdraw its Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, an initiative that sparked widespread condemnation across international soccer, led European governing body UEFA to threaten a tournament boycott, and drew sharp condemnation from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Following an executive meeting in Rabat, Morocco, FIFA management confirmed that a formal apology had been sent in a letter to the FIFA Council and its 211 member associations, acknowledging that errors were made during the rollout of the project and after details were leaked to the media.

Under the aborted plan, FIFA proposed transferring commercial rights for its flagship men’s and women’s World Cup tournaments into a new subsidiary, FFE. The investor group was set to be led by Thrive Eternal, an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

To secure support, Infantino offered each of FIFA’s 211 member associations £30 million ($38 million). The arrangement faced additional scrutiny following reports that Infantino was inline to become chief executive of FFE with an annual compensation package of approximately $64 million—a figure comparable to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s salary and a sharp increase from Infantino’s current $6 million FIFA salary.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney sharply criticized the leadership failure, stating that Infantino’s failure to consult senior advisers—including FIFA’s chief operating officer and board members—was a fatal breach of governance that “should be fatal” to his leadership.

Despite the high-level condemnation, FIFA’s Secretary General and Management Board issued a united statement standing behind the FIFA President, describing Infantino as “the only official elected” by the member associations.

FIFA acknowledged that the process “should have been handled differently” and conceded that member federations were wrongly left feeling excluded from decision-making. However, the governing body maintained that all actions were carried out in “full compliance with the FIFA regulatory framework.”

“With the project withdrawn, it was agreed that FIFA will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process and will take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard its name and reputation,” FIFA said in its statement.

A formal internal review into the episode has been initiated, with a final report scheduled to be presented to the FIFA Council at its next meeting as the organization seeks to stabilize governance ahead of the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup in North America.