Friday, October 16, 2026 -FIFA President Gianni Infantino has issued a formal apology
for his proposed World Cup sell-off plan during a three-hour FIFA Council
meeting in Zurich on Thursday, amid mounting pressure from European football
administrators demanding his resignation.
Infantino expressed regret for failing to consult council
members prior to advancing the initiative, which sought to sell a 20 per cent
commercial stake in future FIFA tournaments to private equity investors.
However, the gesture failed to satisfy European football leadership. Football
Association (FA) Chair Debbie Hewitt reiterated that the apology was
insufficient, arguing that critical questions regarding transparency and
governance remain unanswered.
UEFA leaders have demanded the complete release of all
documentation related to the commercial proposal, alleging that the rights were
set to be transferred at a significantly discounted valuation.
Simultaneously, the FIFA Peace Prize awarded exclusively to
U.S. President Donald Trump in December 2025 is slated for review and likely
cancellation by FIFA’s Football Social Responsibility Committee.
The council also examined procedural concerns regarding the
decision to suspend a one-match ban for U.S. striker Folarin Balogun during the
World Cup. FIFA’s Legal Committee will review disciplinary protocols, with
findings on both the disciplinary framework and the Peace Prize scheduled for
presentation at the next council meeting in December 2026.
Additionally, FIFA outlined plans through its Surplus
Solidarity Programme to increase planned development funding for the 2027–2030
cycle to $6.35 billion, providing approximately $25 million to each member
association. The financial framework will undergo formal evaluation at the
December session.
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