Infantino offers independent governance review as Fifa pressure mounts

The Fifa president, seeking another term amid a revolt over his failed investor plan, says he is willing to discuss reforms to how the organization is run.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has told the governing body's Council and its 211 member associations that he supports an outside examination of how the organization functions. In the letter, he says the independent exercise should suggest possible improvements, and he proposes talks ahead of next month's Council gathering on reinforcing Fifa's decision-making, including the presidency itself, along with transparency and accountability measures.

The letter follows heavy criticism of Infantino's withdrawn Fifa Forward Enterprise plan, under which a new entity would have handled commercial and ticketing rights for all Fifa events, including World Cups, with a 21% stake going to a private investor. Uefa and Concacaf have both demanded a $10m payout to each of Fifa's 211 members from the body's reserves, while Uefa has also started preparing criminal proceedings against Infantino in US courts, a move Fifa has countered by alleging a smear campaign.

Infantino writes that the FFE proposal was never about surrendering Fifa's authority over sporting matters, and that it became public before the organization's own vetting was finished, which he acknowledges created the mistaken impression that decisions were final. He adds that the plan's collapse will not reduce his commitment to channeling more of Fifa's revenue into football development.

FA chair and Fifa vice-president Debbie Hewitt had earlier this month urged Infantino to publish all documents tied to the plan and backed an independent review of it. Infantino intends to seek a fourth term in the March 2027 election, with rivals facing an 18 November deadline to nominate a challenger.