FIFA President Heads to Morocco for Emergency Football Crisis Meeting

FIFA President Gianni Infantino will hold a crisis meeting with top officials in Morocco on Wednesday as he seeks to shore up his position in the wake of the collapse of his plan to sell off commercial rights to the World Cup.

Since Infantino last week floated the idea of the new commercial rights body to FIFA’s 211 member associations, he has been the subject of a torrent of criticism, and no small amount of personal abuse.

For many critics, the plan’s most shocking flaw was the proposed sale of 20% of the body to private investment to raise $4.2 billion, and the involvement of a company with family links to US President Donald Trump.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (L) with US President Donaldo Trump.
US President, Donaldo Trump with FIFA President, Gianni Infantino (L).
His climbdown last Friday has done little to soothe those critics, chief among them the European confederation, UEFA, who accused him of selling the soul of the game and have declared they have no confidence left in his leadership.

That has thrown a shadow over Infantino’s bid for a fourth ​term at the FIFA Congress in Morocco in March, which looked like a foregone conclusion two months ago.

A few European federations have withdrawn their support for the Swiss-Italian but perhaps more damaging is the ​messaging coming from some of Infantino’s colleagues at FIFA.

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom sent an internal memo to staff lamenting the “sad and reproachable series of events” that resulted in the project being “permanently abandoned”, two sources said.

“People, shaky times and unfortunate incidents come and go. The institution, its mission, and its responsibility towards world football continue …” the Swede added in the letter, which did not mention Infantino by name.

His remarks echoed those of FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour who told staff last week they had been “deceived” over the plan which he called “the project of one person”.

Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro ​resigned last week in protest at the plan and former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger distanced himself from it on Tuesday.

FIFA’s Global Football Development chief Wenger said the withdrawal of the proposal was “absolutely necessary” but he was not involved in drafting it.

SURVIVE SEVEN MONTHS TO ELECTION

Infantino has spent the last week in Morocco, which will co-host the next World Cup in 2030 and whose football association have already declared their continued support for him.

Wednesday’s meeting at FIFA’s Africa office in Sale, across the Bou Regreg river from the Moroccan capital Rabat, is likely to kick off with ensuring that Infantino at least survives the seven months until the election.

An Extraordinary Congress can be ​called if 43 or more FIFA member associations formally request one in writing.

According to a report in Monday’s Times of London, UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) are determined to force Infantino out of office, by paralysing FIFA and even starting up their own competitions if he refuses to go.

CONCACAF, the AFC and FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. UEFA declined to comment.

CONCACAF, the governing body for soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean, and the AFC have backed UEFA’s position, though not every national association will follow the lead of its confederation.

Kuwait, Lebanon, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, along with 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar, have pledged their allegiance to Infantino despite the AFC’s position.

Away from the traditional heartlands of the game, where impoverished football associations rely on FIFA’s largesse to operate, Infantino has always enjoyed a lot of support.

His proposal was pitched at ​those associations with promises ​of a dividend of $20 million to $40 million at ⁠the start of next year for each national body which backed the plan.

AFRICAN ADMINISTRATORS SUPPORT INFANTINO

Top African football administrators have sent messages of support as Infantino turns to the continent’s 54 members for backing. The African confederation (CAF) has yet to decide.

The executive committee of Oceania, the smallest and least wealthy confederation, will meet next Wednesday to discuss their approach.

New Zealand Football boss Andrew Pragnell said ​on Tuesday: “I think it’s going to be really interesting for the international football community over the next few weeks.

“It’s really important for ⁠a country like New Zealand to have a lot of contact with its confederation. It helps when you move in concert with your confederation.”

Under FIFA rules, the vote of San Marino, whose men’s team is ranked 211th and last in the world rankings, carries the same weight as that of World Cup winners Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Spain.

The absence of a clear challenger to Infantino in the March election is a definite advantage in his quest to stay in office until 2031.

Jordan FA President Prince Ali bin Hussein has twice run for the post, losing to Sepp Blatter in 2015 and finishing third behind Infantino and AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa the following year.

Prince Ali stated his position on the current crisis on Tuesday, accusing FIFA of “blackmail” and said it had proposed to help solve problems in return for supporting Infantino.

Prince Ali wrote on social media that “We did not endorse him ​before and certainly will not now.