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FIFA President Apologises For FFE Proposal
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UEFA’s Stance On Infantino Stands Despite Apology
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Infantino Questioned Over Decision To Overturn Balogun’s Red Card
October 15, (THEWILL) – FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has apologised for his World Cup sell-off plan at the FIFA Council meeting, which was held in Zurich on Thursday.
The FIFA Supremo came under heavy scrutiny in July when he proposed a secret FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.
The proposal will see a portion of FIFA’s commercial rights given to a private investment firm.
The proposal drew widespread condemnation, with UEFA threatening to exit FIFA.
Infantino scrapped the proposal within days, but the council grilled him in a three-and-a-half-hour meeting at FIFA headquarters in Zurich while also informing him that he is not fit to run the organisation.
He was also questioned over the decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina in a 2026 World Cup clash.
According to a FIFA President, Debbie Hewitt, most of the questions revealed that the council did not get a response from Infantino.
He said: “One of the disappointing things is that we didn’t get answers to anything that we had specifically requested – for example, getting the papers from FFE.
“I asked the question ‘why not?’ – and we were asked to submit those questions in writing.
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“I think the man has to answer those questions and if he doesn’t answer those questions now, he’s not fit to be FIFA president – and that was what was shared in the meeting.”
“I’ve repeatedly asked for the papers to be shared. I haven’t received them and still in spite of the request today, I haven’t received them”, Hewitt added.
Hewitt confirmed that Infantino apologised for not informing the council about the FFE proposal before announcing it in the public.
She said: “Then there were no holds barred in terms of what we felt about what had happened,” she added.
“What he really apologised for was not bringing it to the council. If you regret it that deeply, share it with us.”
It would be recalled that UEFA called for Infantino to step down following the FFE proposal; Hewitt confirmed that the stance still stands.
She said: “From my position, nothing has shifted. I’ve no new information that makes me feel any differently, other than we do have a president who is apologetic.”
Debbie Hewitt MBE is a British businesswoman and sports administrator.
She was appointed as chair of the Football Association in June 2021, taking up the role in January 2022. She is the first woman to hold the post.
