Infantino apologizes over World Cup stake sale plan as FIFA elections approach

At a three-hour FIFA Council session in Zurich on Thursday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino formally apologized for a proposed sale of World Cup-related commercial rights, as pressure grew from European football officials who have called for him to step down. Infantino said he regretted not seeking input from council members before pushing the plan, which would have offered private equity investors a 20 per cent commercial stake in upcoming FIFA competitions. The apology did not satisfy European football leaders. FA Chair Debbie Hewitt repeated that the apology was not enough and said key issues about transparency and governance have yet to be answered. UEFA officials want all documents tied to the commercial proposal made public, claiming the rights were going to be handed over at a much lower value than they were worth. At the same time, the FIFA Peace Prize that was given only to U.S. President Donald Trump in December 2025 is expected to be reviewed and probably rescinded by FIFA’s Football Social Responsibility Committee. The council also looked at procedural questions surrounding the suspension of a one-match ban for U.S. striker Folarin Balogun during the World Cup. FIFA’s Legal Committee will examine disciplinary protocols, and results concerning both the disciplinary system and the Peace Prize are due at the next council meeting in December 2026. FIFA also presented plans under its Surplus Solidarity Programme to raise development funding for the 2027–2030 cycle to $6.35 billion, giving about $25 million to each member association. The financial plan will be formally assessed at the December meeting.