5 things FIFA decided at its crisis meeting in Morocco

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino

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FIFA’s top leadership has reaffirmed its support for president Gianni Infantino following a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, where officials discussed the organisation’s governance, communication processes and the fallout from the withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.

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The meeting, held on Wednesday, was attended by Infantino, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström and members of the FIFA Management Board.

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Here are five key takeaways from the meeting:

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1. FIFA Management Board backs Infantino

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FIFA said its Secretary General and the Management Board members present reaffirmed their “full support” for Infantino, describing him as the only official elected by the organisation’s 211 Member Associations.

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Infantino, in turn, expressed his full support for Grafström and the FIFA Administration for their work in implementing his vision.

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2. FIFA admits its processes need improvement

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The meeting acknowledged that the way the FIFA president, Secretary General and Management Board communicate and interact can be improved.

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According to FIFA, officials agreed that the processes supporting the organisation’s leadership and decision-making should become more effective and efficient.

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FIFA said the discussions were intended to strengthen governance, restore confidence and help the organisation approach future challenges in a united and transparent manner.

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3. FIFA acknowledges mistakes over Forward Enterprise proposal

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The leadership also addressed the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which has now been withdrawn.

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FIFA acknowledged that mistakes were made during the process, including concerns that the FIFA Council and Member Associations felt excluded.

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Officials also accepted that errors occurred in the handling of the situation after the proposal was leaked to the media.

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FIFA said an apology had been sent separately to the FIFA Council and Member Associations, alongside a commitment to prevent similar issues from happening again.

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A review of the process will now be conducted, with a report expected to be presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting.

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4. FIFA says the FFE proposal is off the table

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FIFA confirmed that the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal will no longer proceed.

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The organisation noted that the proposal would have required approval from both the FIFA Member Associations and the FIFA Council.

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With the project withdrawn, FIFA said it would take measures to protect its reputation and defend its principles of integrity, good governance and due process.

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The governing body also stressed that, despite the mistakes acknowledged during the meeting, the actions surrounding the proposal were carried out in compliance with FIFA’s regulatory framework.

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5. FIFA plans to strengthen the Forward programme

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With the FFE proposal abandoned, FIFA said it would work with relevant stakeholders to explore ways of further supporting football development through the FIFA Forward programme.

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The programme will continue to focus on benefiting FIFA’s 211 Member Associations, as well as the confederations and regional associations.

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FIFA also highlighted the successful delivery of the 2026 World Cup and credited the work of the FIFA President, Secretary General and administration for helping deliver the tournament.

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The organisation said the Rabat meeting should help strengthen its governance and restore confidence as it prepares for upcoming major events and challenges.

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