Infantino calls executive meeting as criticism mounts

Gianni Infantino has summoned senior leaders of football’s world governing body to a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday, after another day in which its president has faced fierce criticism of his plan to sell off Fifa’s commercial and event operations.

Fifa’s chief of global football development Arsene Wenger, secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, and Prince Ali, president of the Jordanian Football Association, all made clear their opposition to Infantino’s Fifa Forward Enterprise.

Infantino, who has been in Morocco over the past week, called an executive meeting in Rabat as he attempts to find a solution to the controversy.

Wenger said in a statement issued through Fifa that scrapping the plan was “absolutely necessary and beyond question”.

Grafstrom called the last week “a sad and reproachable series of events” in an internal email to Fifa staff.

Prince Ali, meanwhile, accused Fifa of creating a situation which “amounts to blackmail” over unpaid prize money and support for Infantino’s re-election.

Wenger has been in a role which encompasses data analysis of the game, Fifa’s online training and youth competitions, since 2019.

The former Arsenal boss previously supported Infantino’s proposal to play the men’s World Cup every two years.

A week after Infantino’s investment plan was first released, the Frenchman issued a statement through Fifa in which he demanded “transparency and integrity” from the body.

“The recent events at Fifa deserve some clarity from my side,” Wenger’s statement read.

“I was not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports.

“The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent Fifa that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity.”

Wenger is one of 18 Fifa officials named in a document preservation letter Uefa sent to Fifa threatening legal action.

Carlos Cordeiro – Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy and governance – is the only Fifa official to resign over the scandal, saying the proposal was “a bad deal for football” and would “mortgage football’s future”.

The problem is with leadership – Prince Ali

Meanwhile, Prince Ali has accused Fifa of withholding prize money earned from being runners-up at the Fifa Arab Cup in December.

Before the World Cup final, Infantino said he had received more than 200 letters of support from the 211 member associations for his re-election – Jordan being one of the few not to back him.

Prince Ali, writing on X, claimed prize money had not been paid and Fifa tried to use this to gain support for Infantino.

“It is clear the problem really is with leadership,” he wrote. “For months, Fifa has been refusing to help us – until it was verbally communicated to me during the World Cup that if I endorsed Infantino it would go a long way to helping our FA out.

“We pride ourselves in Jordan in upholding ethical values. We did not endorse him before and certainly will not now.

“But the whole situation amounts to blackmail and we refuse to give in to that.”

Prince Ali has twice run for the Fifa presidency. In 2015, he lost out by 133 votes to 73 to Sepp Blatter – who resigned nine days later. In 2016, he finished third in the election in which Infantino become Fifa president.

He also alleged in the social media post that Jordan supporters with tickets had been denied visas to enter the United States this summer to watch their debut World Cup appearance.

Fifa has been approached for comment.

Difficult to comprehend and accept – Grafstrom

Grafstrom joined the criticism of the plan, writing in an internal memo to staff that last week had been “difficult to comprehend and accept”.

The Swede is seen as a close ally of Infantino, becoming Fifa’s chief of staff after the Swiss was elected president in 2016. He was elevated to secretary general, one of the most powerful positions in Fifa, in 2024.

“A sad and reproachable series of events – which were thankfully concluded with the project permanently abandoned – for as much as we feel dismayed by them, should not overshadow this reality,” Grafstrom wrote.

“We have all been thrown into the middle of a turmoil, which is difficult to comprehend and accept.

“I urge you to remain focused on what has always united us: serving football and serving our 211 member associations, hand in hand with all relevant stakeholders and in full compliance with the Fifa statutes and Fifa regulations.

“I assure you that you as members of the administration, you will be defended and safeguarded from the political context we currently experience. You do not need to worry.

“Individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go. The institution, its mission and its responsibility towards world football continue, and that is why we should always keep our professionalism, sense of perspective and composure.”