FIFA president Infantino proposes independent review amid scrutiny over abandoned investment plan

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proposed an independent review of the organisation’s operations amid growing scrutiny over the governing body’s abandoned commercial investment plan.

In a letter to members of the FIFA Council and the organisation’s 211 member associations, Infantino said the external review would identify “potential improvements” to the way FIFA operates.

He also proposed consultations on how FIFA’s decision-making processes could be strengthened, including possible changes to the role of the president.

According to Infantino, the review would examine practical measures to improve transparency, participation and accountability in major strategic decisions. The consultation would involve FIFA’s confederations, member associations and other relevant stakeholders.

The proposal comes after criticism of the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan, which would have created a new company to manage commercial and ticketing rights for FIFA competitions.

The proposed structure included the sale of a 21 per cent stake in the company to a private investment firm, a move that attracted opposition from sections of the football community.

Infantino defended the original proposal, insisting that FIFA’s authority over sporting decisions would not have been affected. However, he acknowledged that the plan became public before the organisation had completed its internal process, creating the impression that a final decision had already been made.

“The proposal entered the public domain before FIFA’s planned institutional process had been completed and before it could be presented in full to the Council and the member associations,” he said.

“I recognise that, without the full context, this caused concern and created the impression that decisions had already been taken. They had not.”

Infantino also maintained that FIFA’s democratic processes and sporting independence were never part of the proposed arrangement.

“Democratic processes, independence and sporting authority were never for sale. They are not for sale and never will be,” he said.

The FFE controversy has increased pressure on the FIFA leadership, with UEFA and Concacaf reportedly calling for FIFA to distribute $10 million to each of its 211 member associations from its reserves.

Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt has also called for the release of documents relating to the FFE proposal and backed an independent review.

Infantino is seeking a fourth term as FIFA president in March 2027, with potential challengers required to nominate an alternative candidate by November 18.