Gianni Infantino has proposed an outside review of how Fifa makes its major decisions, telling members in a letter that the governing body’s handling of a now-abandoned investment plan had caused concern. The Fifa president wrote to the Fifa council and to the presidents of all 211 member associations.
Under the proposal, Infantino said he would ask the council whether it wishes to commission an independent external review of Fifa’s current governance framework for major strategic initiatives, and to recommend potential improvements. He also said he would propose consultations with confederations, member associations and other stakeholders on strengthening Fifa’s decision-making. According to the letter, the proposals would examine who has a say in major initiatives, including the respective roles of the president, the bureau, the council and the congress, as well as how to improve transparency and accountability.
The move follows the fierce backlash Infantino faced over a proposal to sell a 20% stake in Fifa’s commercial rights, including the World Cup, to private investors. The plan was abandoned in July after opposition and boycott threats, and Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf subsequently called for changes to Fifa’s leadership.
Infantino said the abandoned plan had explored whether selling a minority stake in a Fifa-controlled commercial company could raise more money for football development, and that it would not have involved giving up control over sporting decisions. In his account, the proposal became public before it could be presented in full to the council and the member associations. “I recognise that, without the full context, this caused concern and created the impression that decisions had already been taken. They had not,” he wrote. “It remained a proposal, not a decision, and was always subject to the necessary approvals of the council and the member associations. It has now been withdrawn and will not proceed.”
Infantino said he had heard differing ideas about who should decide major strategic questions, with some favouring a requirement of unanimous agreement in the bureau and others wanting such matters put directly to congress and the member associations. “My role is not to pre-judge that discussion. Those who support a particular model should have the opportunity to set out their case clearly,” he wrote. Suggestions received by the council meeting on 15 October could be discussed there, with later submissions also considered by a deadline yet to be specified. Any changes to Fifa’s statutes would need congress approval.
Infantino also sought to reassure member associations that their positions on proposals or governance matters would not affect how they are treated by Fifa, whose development and solidarity programmes would continue under existing rules. “No association’s treatment will depend on its position on any proposal or institutional matter,” he wrote. “I remain fully committed to leading Fifa and confident in what we can achieve together.”