FIFA President Gianni Infantino has apologised to members of the FIFA Council over the handling of a controversial proposal to open the commercial rights of the World Cup and other competitions to private investors.
The apology came during a three-and-a-half-hour FIFA Council meeting in Zurich on Thursday, October 15, 2026, amid renewed concerns about transparency, consultation and leadership within football’s global governing body.
Infantino acknowledged mistakes in the communication and consultation process surrounding the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, which was abandoned following widespread opposition. However, he insisted that the initiative had been a proposal and not a concluded agreement.
“First of all, I apologised for the mistakes that we made in relation to the communication and consultation process related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise project,” Infantino said in a video statement released after the meeting.
He explained that the initiative was intended to help FIFA generate additional revenue and increase investment in its 211 member associations, rather than replace funding from existing sources.
England and Germany Maintain Their Concerns
Despite Infantino’s apology, officials representing England and Germany reportedly said the meeting had failed to adequately address their concerns.
Their reservations suggest that questions surrounding the proposal and Infantino’s leadership remain unresolved, even after the FIFA president acknowledged shortcomings in how the initiative was communicated and discussed.
What Was the FIFA Forward Enterprise Proposal?
The controversy emerged in July 2026 after details of the FIFA Forward Enterprise project became public.
The proposal reportedly involved establishing a commercial entity to manage the commercial rights of FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, while allowing private investors to acquire a minority stake.
The proposed arrangement was valued at approximately $4.2 billion, with investors expected to obtain around 20 per cent of the new entity.
Supporters of the initiative presented it as a way to unlock additional commercial value from FIFA’s competitions and increase financial support for member associations around the world.
However, the proposal faced opposition over concerns about transparency, consultation and the potential implications of allowing private investors to participate in the commercial rights structure of major FIFA competitions.
Although the project has since been abandoned, the dispute has highlighted the importance of clear communication and consultation when major financial decisions affect the future of international football.
