In a joint letter signed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, and distributed to all member federations on August 5, 2026, the global football governing body acknowledged its missteps and minor errors. The admission specifically addressed the controversial plan to sell shares or commercial rights for its major events, including the prestigious FIFA World Cup, to private investors. This initiative was known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project.
The letter conveyed a sincere apology from FIFA leadership, stating, ‘We sincerely apologize for these errors and are committed to ensuring they do not happen again. We also acknowledge that there were many shortcomings after information about this project was leaked to the media.’
FIFA also confirmed its commitment to conducting a thorough internal review before presenting a comprehensive report to the FIFA Council at its upcoming meeting. The organization further recognized that member federations and members of the FIFA Council should not have felt excluded from the discussion process, emphasizing that the project’s handling could have been managed differently.
Despite the acknowledged errors, the letter notably underscored that FIFA’s leadership unanimously agreed to continue supporting Gianni Infantino. This decision came after an urgent meeting held in Rabat, Morocco, where it was affirmed that the President, Secretary General, and the executive team remain united.
However, the intensity of criticism directed at Mr. Infantino shows no signs of abating. For instance, legendary Portuguese footballer Luis Figo publicly condemned the actions, describing them as deeply disappointing and overtly self-serving – a level of conduct he had never witnessed before. Figo further asserted that while it may be too late to salvage Mr. Infantino’s reputation, there is still time to protect the integrity of football itself.
