FIFA backs Gianni Infantino and apologises over withdrawn investment project

FIFA has given its full backing to president Gianni Infantino and apologised for mistakes made in the handling of its withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise project.

The decision followed a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, attended by Infantino, FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom and members of the FIFA Council. The gathering was held to discuss recent developments within football’s world governing body.

In a statement issued after the meeting, FIFA said those present had reaffirmed their support for Infantino, describing him as the “only official elected by 211 member associations”.

Infantino, in turn, reiterated his complete support for FIFA’s executive management. He praised what he called the “essential and outstanding work to implement the vision of the federation”.

The meeting also focused on improving FIFA’s internal working methods and communication. Those attending agreed that procedures should be developed to make the organisation more efficient and effective.

FIFA’s statement also praised the work that contributed to the successful organisation of the 2026 World Cup, saying the achievement had been made possible through collective efforts across the organisation.

A significant part of the meeting was devoted to the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which was withdrawn recently. FIFA acknowledged that mistakes had been made in the way the proposal was introduced and managed.

According to the statement, some member associations felt they had not been sufficiently involved in the process. FIFA also admitted that errors had been made in its handling of information leaked to the media.

The organisation issued a formal apology for those shortcomings and promised that they would not be repeated. It said a comprehensive review would be carried out, with the findings to be presented at the next meeting of the FIFA Council.

FIFA confirmed that the project was no longer being pursued. At the same time, it said it “will not tolerate any attack on its integrity” and would take all necessary measures to protect its reputation.

The statement did not provide further details about the nature of the investment project or explain what specific changes might follow from the review.

The meeting ended with FIFA reaffirming its intention to work with its member associations to develop football around the world. The organisation said that work would continue through its various programmes in the coming period.

The meeting took place on Thursday, 6 August 2026, amid discussions about FIFA’s internal governance, communication and the management of its development initiatives.