Infantino Apologizes to FIFA Council for Secretive $4.2 Billion Investment Plan

Gianni Infantino apologized for communication failures regarding the $4.2 billion FIFA Forward Enterprise project during a 3.5-hour meeting in Zurich.

Gianni Infantino issued a formal apology to the 37-member FIFA Council on Thursday for "mistakes" involving a secretive $4.2 billion World Cup investment plan. The proposal, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise, involved a commercial rights subsidiary with investor Joshua Kushner and was abruptly dropped in July following opposition from European soccer leaders. During the 3.5-hour meeting in Zurich, Infantino declined to provide specific documents or details regarding the private equity project, citing ongoing legal proceedings in the United States.

European delegates, including German soccer leader Bernd Neuendorf and English FA chair Debbie Hewitt, expressed disappointment over a lack of clarity regarding the Folarin Balogun red-card case. The incident involved an intervention by President Donald Trump at the World Cup, yet no explanation was provided to the council. FIFA is currently reviewing whether to continue awarding a peace prize created for Trump last December.

Infantino requested that all further questions be submitted in writing ahead of the November 18 deadline for presidential candidates. While UEFA members have initiated criminal complaints in Switzerland alleging financial mismanagement, Infantino secured support from African delegates, including Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya. The president proposed increasing FIFA funding for each of the 211 member federations by $15 million over the next four years. The next FIFA Council meeting is scheduled for December 16 in Doha, Qatar, following an extraordinary congress on November 23 to confirm hosts for the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups.