Sport

FIFA president outlines reforms after revolt over his leadership

21 Sep 2026 2 minute read

Gianni Infantino and Aleksander Ceferin. Photo Mike Egerton/PA Wire

Nation.Cymru staff

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has outlined plans to reform world football’s governing body after coming under intense pressure over his abandoned attempt to sell a stake in its tournaments to private investors.

The Football Association of Wales was the first national association to withdraw its support for Mr Infantino’s re-election, saying failures in governance and leadership meant he had “lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football”.

The FAW made the move in August after Mr Infantino abandoned plans to sell a 20% stake in FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, to private investors.

“Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept,” the FAW said.

Opposition subsequently widened, with UEFA leading calls for Mr Infantino to step down and further criticism coming from the Asian confederation and CONCACAF, which represents North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The English FA also withdrew its support.

Mr Infantino, 56, has now written to all 211 FIFA member associations and FIFA Council members outlining proposals to change how the organisation operates.

He said: “No association’s treatment will depend on its position on any proposal or institutional matter.

“I remain fully committed to leading FIFA and confident in what we can achieve together.”

Mr Infantino said he would ask the FIFA Council whether it wanted to commission an independent external review of FIFA’s governance framework for major strategic initiatives.

He will also propose a “direct, structured and time-limited consultation” with confederations, member associations and other stakeholders on strengthening FIFA’s decision-making.

The consultation would consider earlier institutional involvement, the respective roles of FIFA’s president, Bureau, Council and Congress, and ways of improving “transparency, participation and accountability”.

Mr Infantino, who intends to seek re-election despite the controversy, insisted FIFA’s “democratic processes, independence and sporting authority were never for sale”.

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