FIFA president Gianni Infantino says he is open to an independent review of the governing body’s decision-making processes following the collapse of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project.
Infantino sent a letter to FIFA Council members and the organization’s 211 member associations on Monday, outlining proposals for an external assessment ahead of the next FIFA Council meeting on October 15.
The move comes after the FFE’s plan faced opposition from several football bodies and prompted calls for greater scrutiny of FIFA’s governance.
“I will ask the Council if it wants to commission an external and independent evaluation of FIFA’s current governance framework for important strategic initiatives and recommend potential improvements,” Infantino said in his letter, which was seen by The Associated Press.
“I will propose that the Council establish a direct, structured and temporary consultation with confederations and member associations on how to further strengthen FIFA’s decision-making processes,” he added.
The FFE concept involved private investors acquiring a stake in FIFA’s commercial rights, including those linked to the World Cup and other competitions. The proposal was withdrawn in July after opposition from UEFA and other confederations.
The FIFA Forward Enterprise plan causes a backlash
The FFE’s proposal was made public before FIFA’s planned institutional process had been completed, according to Infantino, who acknowledged this raised concerns among member associations.
“The proposal entered the public domain before the institutional process envisaged by FIFA had been completed and before it could be fully presented to the Council and member associations. I recognize that, without full context, this caused concern and created the impression that decisions had already been made. They had not,” Infantino said in the letter.
The consequences have led to demands for greater transparency and independent control from the football community. UEFA and CONCACAF presidents Aleksander Ceferin and Victor Montagliani recently called for an independent review of FIFA’s financial reserves, while several football associations have questioned the organisation’s handling of the FFE proposal.
UEFA has also requested documents and testimony from FIFA entities in the United States as part of its consideration of possible criminal proceedings in Switzerland related to the FFE scheme.
UEFA has alleged that the proposal was developed without proper consultation with FIFA’s governing bodies, claims that FIFA has disputed.
Infantino remains committed to increasing FIFA’s revenue
Despite withdrawing the FFE’s proposal, Infantino said FIFA would continue to look for ways to increase its resources and invest more money in football.
“Withdrawing this proposal does not diminish our ambition or our responsibility to reinvest more of the fruits of FIFA’s success in football. We will continue to explore sustainable ways to increase FIFA’s resources,” added Infantino.
“What changes is not the ambition, but the strength of the process.”
