FIFA President Gianni Infantino has opened the door to changes in how the organization makes major decisions. He shared his proposal in a letter addressed to members of the FIFA Council and all 211 member association presidents. Infantino said he would ask the Council to consider an independent review of current governance practices for major strategic initiatives.
The move comes after a plan to sell a 20 percent stake in a FIFA-controlled commercial rights business was dropped due to strong opposition. The proposal involved commercial rights including those connected to the World Cup. It had aimed to raise more money for football development without giving up control over sporting matters.
However, the plan became public before being fully presented to the Council and member associations, leading to confusion and concern. Infantino emphasized that the idea had been a proposal and not a final decision.
The FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal was abandoned in July after opposition and threats of boycotts. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF later called for changes in FIFA leadership.
Infantino acknowledged differing opinions on how major strategic questions should be decided. Some members suggested requiring unanimous agreement in the Bureau, while others preferred putting such matters directly to Congress and member associations. Infantino said he would not pre-judge which model should be chosen. He encouraged those who support a specific approach to clearly present their case.
Infantino also proposed a direct and structured consultation involving FIFA's confederations, member associations and other stakeholders. The talks would examine the roles of the president, Bureau, Council and Congress in major decisions. They would also look at transparency and accountability.
Suggestions for changes could be discussed at the October 15 Council meeting. Any updates to FIFA's governing documents would still need approval from Congress.
Infantino also promised that a member association’s stance on any proposal would not affect its treatment by FIFA. He assured that development and solidarity programs would continue under existing rules regardless of positions taken on reforms.
The proposals have not ended criticism of FIFA's leadership. Football officials in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Wales said Tuesday that the proposals did not address all of their concerns.
German Football Association President Bernd Neuendorf described the proposal as an attempt to strengthen Infantino's position ahead of the next FIFA presidential election. The Dutch federation said parts of the proposed reforms were in line with changes it had requested but said trust had not been restored. Sweden's football association said the reforms were overdue while the Football Association of Wales called for broader changes. These are the positions of the individual federations and officials.
The proposals come as Infantino faces challenges in his re-election bid, with France withdrawing its support. The French Football Federation unanimously withdrew its endorsement on September 10 and called for fundamental changes to FIFA's governance.
The FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco.