FIFA President Gianni Infantino today held emergency talks with senior officials in Morocco as pressure continued to mount over his decision to abandon a controversial proposal to open the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup to private investment. The high-level meeting comes amid growing criticism from football stakeholders over the now-withdrawn plan, which many viewed as a significant shift in the governance and commercial structure of world football.

The proposal centred on the creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise, a new commercial subsidiary that would have managed FIFA's flagship competitions, including the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. Under the plan, FIFA intended to sell a minority stake in the subsidiary to private investors.

FIFA had projected that the transaction could generate approximately $4.2 billion, based on a valuation of about $20 billion for the new entity. The governing body argued that the additional revenue would enable it to significantly increase financial support for its 211 member associations, strengthen football development programmes worldwide and expand investment in the global game.

However, the proposal sparked fierce opposition from several football confederations and stakeholders, who expressed concerns about transparency, governance and the long-term implications of allowing private investors to acquire a stake in football's most valuable commercial assets. As scrutiny of FIFA's leadership continues, the outcome of the talks could prove crucial in determining how the organisation rebuilds trust and navigates one of the most significant governance challenges of Infantino's tenure.

— CHANNELS