Fifa president Gianni Infantino has committed to commissioning an independent review of the governing body’s governance framework. This decision follows mounting criticism surrounding the recent World Cup sale debacle, which has triggered widespread calls for increased accountability.
In a letter addressed to all 211 member associations, Infantino signaled his willingness to subject FIFA to external scrutiny for the first time. While he previously declined to engage directly with disgruntled members of the FIFA Council, this move represents a significant shift in his approach to internal governance issues. The proposal follows intense lobbying from council members regarding the proposed Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) sell-off and the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun. FA chair Debbie Hewitt had specifically demanded the release of all documents concerning these matters last week.
Infantino stated he would ask the council to evaluate the current governance framework for major strategic initiatives and recommend improvements. Furthermore, he plans to propose a structured, time-limited consultation with confederations and member associations to strengthen decision-making processes. These discussions are scheduled for the next FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, set for 15 October. The consultation aims to address the roles of the president, the bureau, the council, and the congress, while focusing on enhancing transparency and participation.
Despite these concessions, the proposal does not explicitly commit to an investigation into the FFE or the Balogun situation, falling short of the specific demands made by Hewitt. The FIFA Council, which includes 28 confederation representatives and eight vice-presidents, is expected to approve the review. However, observers remain skeptical, noting that the final terms of reference will determine if this marks a genuine move toward reform or a strategic maneuver by Infantino to consolidate his power ahead of next March’s presidential election.
Concurrently, Infantino is facing significant pressure to unlock FIFA’s $6bn (£4.5bn) cash reserves for member associations. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf chief Victor Montagliani recently submitted a formal request for a $10m payout to each national association. This push was bolstered by a similar demand from Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa on Monday. The funding issue is officially slated for the agenda at the upcoming October meeting, where the president remains focused on maintaining his leadership position. The report also notes that which comprises 28 representatives of the six confederations, eight vice-presidents and Infantino, is certain to approve the commissioning of an external review, although its terms of reference will be crucial in determining whether the world governing body is open to significant change or whether this represents the latest attempt by Infantino to shore up his power base before the presidential, the Fifa Council.
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