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Fifa has confirmed it will present a review of the abandoned FFE initiative to the world football body’s council, following complaints from Danish football head Jesper Moller regarding a failure to provide details on the cancelled scheme.
Moller voiced frustration last week when Fifa refused to resolve what he termed “critical questions” during a Legal Committee session. The dispute centres on a now-shelved project, launched by Fifa president Gianni Infantino, aimed at selling commercial shares in major tournaments to external financiers.
In a statement provided to Reuters, Fifa said: “Fifa Standing Committees advise and assist the Fifa Council in their respective fields in line with Fifa’s Statutes and Governance Regulations,”
The organisation added: “As previously communicated, a review of the withdrawn Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal will be presented to the Fifa Council.”
The Council consists of 37 delegates, encompassing president Infantino, eight vice-presidents, and 28 representatives chosen by member associations worldwide.
Jesper Moller (left) was particularly critical of the plan (Reuters)
Widespread opposition erupted after Infantino proposed selling a 20 per cent share in the World Cup and additional competitions. Key confederations, including Uefa, the AFC, and Concacaf, demanded reforms to the governance framework, whilst talks were held regarding a potential vote of no confidence against the president.
A growing number of European bodies have pulled their backing for Infantino’s re-election campaign. On Tuesday, Greek Football Association President Makis Gagatsis and former Germany national team director Oliver Bierhoff aligned with Uefa’s campaign for administrative reform, reinforcing opposition across the continent.
Despite the mounting pressure, sources acquainted with internal discussions told Reuters that the Fifa president maintains enough votes to win re-election. Consequently, critics may alter tactics to concentrate on curtailing his authority instead.
Infantino is set to campaign for a fourth term when the presidential vote takes place in Rabat on March 18, 2027. This was confirmed by Fifa earlier this month who claimed “nothing has changed”.
A Fifa spokesperson said: “The Fifa president announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027. Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election.”
This update came after Infantino refused to answer questions from journalists concerning his future when asked at the Women’s Under-20 World Cup in Poland.