FIFA Leadership Reaffirms Support for Gianni Infantino Following World Cup Investment Crisis
18 sources across 14 countries · 1 of them is linked to a state
Who reported this
- Le Monde
- Le Monde Afrique
- France 24
- Der Spiegel
- Frankfurter Allgemeine
- Al-Monitor
- Associated Press
- Telex
- Tempo English
- ANSA
- NRC
- TheCable
- Aftenposten
- Al Jazeera
- The Korea Herald
- El Pais
- Taipei Times
- BBC News
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
- A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.
Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.
Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.
The owner of each outlet is listed as a matter of record, not as a judgement about the outlet.
FIFA leadership has reaffirmed its full support for President Gianni Infantino following a crisis meeting in Rabat, Morocco. The meeting was convened after a proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in a new commercial rights entity to private investors, which would have raised approximately 4.2 billion dollars, triggered a fierce international backlash and was subsequently withdrawn on August 1. In a statement, FIFA noted that Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom and members of the management board expressed their unrestricted support for Infantino, citing him as the only official elected by the 211 member associations. Infantino reciprocated this support for the administration and the Secretary General.
FIFA issued an apology to its Council members and member associations for errors made during the process. The organization acknowledged that the proposal should have been handled differently and that members should not have felt excluded. FIFA has promised a review of the process and a subsequent report. Despite the apology, the organization stated it would no longer tolerate attacks on its integrity or governance and would take necessary measures to protect its reputation.
The controversy drew sharp criticism from several major football bodies. UEFA, the European governing body, stated it had lost confidence in Infantino's leadership and previously threatened to boycott competitions. CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation also expressed criticism over the lack of consultation. Internally, the crisis was marked by a memo from Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom describing the events as sad and reproachable. Other internal dissent included the resignation of senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro and public distancing from the plan by FIFA's chief of global football development, Arsene Wenger. Former Portugal international Luis Figo also called for Infantino's resignation.
Additional tensions emerged following a report by The Times claiming Infantino promised Morocco the 2030 World Cup final, a claim FIFA has denied as false and misleading. The proposal also faced scrutiny due to the involvement of a company with family links to U.S. President Donald Trump. While European federations have largely withdrawn their support, Infantino continues to maintain backing from several associations in Africa and Asia.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- These outlets emphasized the political survival of Infantino and framed the event as a crisis of legitimacy and trust.
- Centre
- These outlets focused on the factual sequence of the crisis meeting, the official apologies, and the balance of support and opposition.
- Centre-right
- These outlets highlighted the specific threats to FIFA's reputation and the potential for the crisis to end Infantino's tenure.
Sources
- Centre ANSA: Fifa confirms full support for Infantino
- Centre-right Aftenposten: Came out of crisis meeting with apology and threat
- Centre-left Al Jazeera: FIFA pledges to defend Infantino after World Cup rights plan collapses
- Centre Al-Monitor: Soccer-Infantino and FIFA present united front after crisis meeting over stake sale fallout
- Centre Associated Press: Gianni Infantino gets internal support at crisis meeting to remain as FIFA president - AP News
- Centre BBC News: Infantino sorry for errors but stays Fifa president
- Centre-left Der Spiegel: Gianni Infantino: Fifa leadership stands behind its president at emergency meeting in Rabat, Morocco
- Centre-left El Pais: Infantino maneuvers to gain support in his moment of maximum weakness as FIFA president
- Centre France 24: FIFA backs Infantino but apologises over World Cup investment plan
- Centre-right Frankfurter Allgemeine: After crisis meeting: FIFA leadership reaffirms "unrestricted support" for Infantino
- Centre-left Le Monde: Gianni Infantino clings to his throne at FIFA after the scandal and the abandonment of the project to open to private investors
- Centre-left Le Monde Afrique: "Gianni Infantino must have the courage to resign or to request a vote of confidence", considers Congolese Constant Omari, former member of the FIFA council
- Centre NRC: FIFA summit stands by Infantino, despite increasing criticism
- Centre-left Taipei Times: Embattled FIFA head holds emergency talks with directors
- Centre Telex: The FIFA president apologized, he may stay in his post
- Centre-left Tempo English: FIFA Crisis Deepens as Gianni Infantino Faces Growing Calls to Resign
- Centre-left Tempo English: How Do FIFA Presidential Elections Work Amid Gianni Infantino's Crisis?
- Centre-right The Korea Herald: FIFA apologizes to members as Infantino holds crisis meeting amid stake sale fallout
- Centre TheCable: Infantino loses moral authority to lead FIFA
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.