Infantino’s Apology Falls Flat as England and Germany Stand Firm on FIFA Future

FIFA President Faces Growing Pressure Amid Governance Crisis

ZURICH — The future of Gianni Infantino’s leadership at FIFA is under intense scrutiny following a tense closed-door meeting of the FIFA Council, where the president offered an apology for missteps in communication and consultation surrounding the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project. Despite this gesture, key figures from England and Germany have voiced strong doubts about his ability to lead the world football body effectively.

Infantino addressed the council via a video statement released by FIFA, expressing regret over the way the FFE proposal was handled. He acknowledged that the lack of proper consultation with council members had caused widespread concern and damaged trust within the organisation. However, he insisted the project had never been formally approved and remained only a conceptual idea.

“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, which then led to many consequences,” Infantino said. “But what is important to remember is that it was a proposal, so in no way a done deal.”

The FFE plan aimed to establish a new company to manage the commercial rights of FIFA’s flagship tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups. A minority stake in this entity would have been sold to private investors, with proceeds intended to boost funding for FIFA’s 211 member associations. Proponents argued the initiative could generate long-term financial stability for national football federations globally.

Yet, despite Infantino’s assurances, European football leaders remain unconvinced.

Calls for a Complete Restart

Bernd Neuendorf, president of the German Football Association (DFB), delivered one of the harshest critiques, calling for a “complete restart” at FIFA. He stressed that meaningful governance reform could not occur while Infantino remained in charge.

“The first thing is we need reforms. That’s true. And everyone knows that,” Neuendorf stated. “The old administration has to be reformed, and the whole governance has to be reformed. But I’m pretty clear here in this that this is not possible with Gianni. So we need a complete restart, I think, a political restart.”

Neuendorf questioned the sincerity of Infantino’s apology, suggesting it focused narrowly on the failure to consult the council rather than addressing broader concerns about the FFE project itself. He revealed that many council members first learned of the initiative through media reports, not official communications.

“When it came to the FFE project as such, I have the impression that this still was not included when he apologised,” Neuendorf said. “My impression was it was just because it wasn’t brought forward to the council and no one was involved.”

He added that representatives from other confederations had also raised alarms about the lack of transparency, underscoring systemic issues in how decisions are made at the highest levels of FIFA.

English FA Demands Accountability

Debbie Hewitt, chair of the English Football Association (FA), echoed these concerns, insisting that Infantino must provide clear answers to questions raised during the meeting. She warned that failure to do so would render him unfit to continue as president.

“I think the man has to answer those questions,” Hewitt said. “And if he doesn’t answer those questions, no, he’s not fit to be FIFA president.”

She emphasized that the council had explicitly requested documentation related to the FFE project, and now demanded full disclosure. “You have an obligation. We all have an obligation, a fiduciary responsibility to answer the questions that have been put forward,” she said.

“If there’s nothing to hide, then share (the FFE documents) with us… if you regret it that deeply, please share it with us.”

Hewitt also highlighted other recent controversies that demand scrutiny: the reversal of a one-match ban for US forward Folarin Balogun after a red card in the World Cup, and the awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize to former US President Donald Trump. These decisions, she argued, point to deeper governance failures.

“Unless we understand what happened, either it was a massive failing in governance because it wasn’t followed or actually the governance was followed, but there was something else that got to what we all felt in there was the wrong decisions,” she said. “So we must understand what happened in order to be able to review it. Otherwise we’re guessing.”

Support from African Confederation

Not all voices were critical. Ahmed Yahya, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (FFRIM), stood firmly behind Infantino, citing tangible progress under his tenure. He pointed to increased funding for national associations and the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams as evidence of effective leadership.

“We (the African nations) believe Gianni is the right person to continue leading football,” Yahya said. When asked whether most people wanted Infantino to remain president, he responded: “I’m certain. The majority want Gianni to stay.”

This divergence in opinion underscores the deepening rift between regional blocs within FIFA, raising questions about the balance of power and accountability in global football governance.

As pressure mounts, the next steps will hinge on whether Infantino can demonstrate genuine transparency and willingness to reform — or whether the calls for a leadership change will grow too loud to ignore.