FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called high-ranking FIFA employees to a crisis meeting in Rabat, Morocco, scheduled for Wednesday, according to reports. The reports were published on Tuesday evening, August 4, 2026, by British media outlets including The Times and Sky UK.
The exact agenda or topic of discussion for the crisis meeting remains unclear. The meeting comes amid, with top officials distancing themselves from Infantino.
Top officials distance themselves
FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafström and FIFA Director Arsène Wenger have both distanced themselves from Infantino. Grafström described the situation as a 'sad and reprehensible series of events' and complained of an 'uproar.'
The Times reported, citing anonymous sources, that Infantino arranged the meeting 'to desperately stay in power.'
— The Times
Wenger stated that dropping the investor deal was 'absolutely necessary' and that he was not involved in the strategic plan, learning about the project only through media reports.
Infantino's close confidant and advisor Carlos Cordeiro has resigned in protest.
Context of the meeting
Rabat, Morocco, is the regional headquarters of FIFA for Africa and is scheduled to host the 77th FIFA Congress and the next presidential elections in 2027. Infantino appeared publicly in Rabat as a guest of King Mohammed VI.
According to reports, on Tuesday evening, Infantino posted photos of memories from the past World Cup and letters of support from individual associations on his Instagram story. Infantino is 56 years old.
Updates
Pressure on Gianni Infantino has intensified following the failure of his planned investor deal for World Cup rights, which sparked widespread indignation. A strong resistance is now forming, particularly in Europe, potentially signaling the end of his FIFA presidency.
The pressure on Gianni Infantino has escalated following the failure of his planned investor deal to sell World Cup rights, an initiative that triggered widespread indignation. A strong resistance is forming against his leadership, particularly in Europe, leading to claims that the current crisis could result in the end of his FIFA presidency.
Pressure on Gianni Infantino has intensified following the failure of a planned investor deal for World Cup rights, sparking significant resistance particularly in Europe and potentially threatening his presidency. Amidst these tensions, Jordan's Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has accused FIFA of withholding funds, describing the situation as amounting to blackmail. Additionally, The Athletic reports that several U.S. World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised one million dollar 'Legacy' funds for infrastructure and social projects, despite FIFA's recent announcement of similar grants for the 2025 Club World Cup hosts.
Pressure on Gianni Infantino is intensifying following the failed investor deal for World Cup rights, potentially threatening his presidency amidst rising resistance in Europe. Additionally, Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has accused FIFA of withholding funds from his players, describing the situation as amounting to 'blackmail.' Separately, The Athletic reports that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised one million dollar 'Legacy' funds per city for infrastructure and social projects.
Pressure on Gianni Infantino has intensified following the failed investor deal for World Cup rights, leading to organized resistance particularly in Europe and potential implications for his presidency. Additionally, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of the Jordanian Football Association has accused FIFA of withholding player funds, labeling the situation as
The crisis surrounding Gianni Infantino has intensified following the collapse of his proposed investor deal for World Cup rights, fueling growing opposition particularly within Europe. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has publicly accused FIFA of withholding funds from his national team, describing the situation as "blackmail." Furthermore, representatives from several US World Cup host cities report that FIFA has failed to deliver promised one-million-dollar 'Legacy' payments intended for local infrastructure and social projects, despite record revenues generated during the recent tournament.
Gianni Infantino's position faces heightened pressure following the withdrawal of his plan to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors, a move that triggered significant indignation, particularly in Europe. Amidst these tensions, Jordan's Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has refused to support Infantino, alleging a situation of 'blackmail' regarding fund withholding, while reports from The Athletic suggest several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' fund payments. Furthermore, FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafström has internally criticized recent developments as 'reprehensible,' as Infantino seeks to secure support in Morocco'
Gianni Infantino's presidency faces increasing pressure as his plan to sell World Cup rights to investors failed and met strong resistance, particularly in Europe. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has refused to support Infantino, accusing FIFA of a situation that 'amounts to blackmail' regarding withheld funds. Additionally, The Athletic reports that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' fund payments, while FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafström reportedly criticized recent developments as 'reprehensible.'
Pressure on Gianni Infantino has intensified following the failure of his plan to sell World Cup rights to private investors, with European football associations reacting to the proposal as a 'bombshell.' Jordan's Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has refused to support Infantino, accusing the organization of withholding funds from his players and describing the situation as amounting to blackmail. Additionally, reports indicate that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' fund payments, while FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafström has criticized recent developments as reprehensible.
The crisis has intensified as Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein accused FIFA of blackmail, alleging that financial assistance was being linked to support for Infantino's re-election. Furthermore, reports indicate that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' funds, while UEFA and CONCACAF have voiced strong criticism regarding governance and transparency failures. Amidst this mounting resistance, particularly in Europe, the failure of Infantino's plan to sell World Cup rights to private investors has significantly weakened his presidency ahead of the upcoming elections.
The crisis has escalated following the collapse of the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors, an initiative described by international media as a 'bombshell'. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has accused FIFA leadership of attempted blackmail, alleging that verbal promises were made linking financial assistance to support for Gianni Infantino's re-election. Additionally, reports indicate that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' funds, while UEFA and CONCACAF have voiced serious concerns regarding governance and a loss of confidence in the current leadership.
The crisis intensified as Gianni Infantino's controversial plan to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors collapsed, triggering significant resistance from European football associations and calls for accountability from UEFA and CONCACAF. Jordanian Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein accused FIFA of blackmail, alleging that financial support was being linked to endorsing Infantino, while The Athletic reported that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' funds. Amidst these governance failures, FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafström criticized recent developments as reprehensible, as Infantino seeks to secure support at the𒅁
The crisis intensified as FIFA's plan to sell commercial World Cup rights to private investors collapsed, leading to strong resistance from European football associations and UEFA. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein accused FIFA of blackmail, alleging that financial support was being linked to endorsing Infantino's re-election. Additionally, reports indicate that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised one million dollar 'Legacy' funds, while FIFA's General Secretary Mattias Grafström reportedly criticized the recent developments as a reprehensible turn of events.
The crisis follows the collapse of Gianni Infantino's FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which sought to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors. Amidst growing resistance from UEFA and CONCACAF, Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has accused FIFA of blackmail, alleging that financial support was verbally linked to endorsing Infantino's re-election. Furthermore, reports indicate that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' funds, while FIFA's General Secretary Mattias Grafström has criticized recent developments as reprehensible.
The crisis intensified as FIFA withdrew its controversial plan to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors, a move that sparked a 'bombshell' reaction in Europe. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has accused FIFA of blackmail, alleging that financial support was verbally linked to endorsing Infantino's re-election. Additionally, reports indicate that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' funds, while FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafström criticized recent leadership developments as 'reprehensible.'
The crisis has intensified as FIFA withdrew the controversial plan to sell commercial rights to private investors, an event that triggered fierce resistance in Europe and calls for Infantino's resignation from figures like Luís Figo. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has accused FIFA of 'blackmail,' alleging that financial assistance was verbally linked to endorsing the president. Additionally, The Athletic reports that several US World Cup host cities are yet to receive promised 'Legacy' funds, while FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström characterized the recent developments as a 'sad and reprehensible development' in an email to employees.
The crisis deepened as FIFA withdrew its controversial plan to sell commercial rights to private investors through a new subsidiary, a move that has triggered widespread resistance particularly in Europe. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein accused FIFA of attempting to link financial assistance to support for Gianni Infantino, describing the situation as one that 'amounts to blackmail.' Additionally, reports indicate that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' fund payments, while organizations like UEFA and CONCACAF have publicly criticized the current leadership's governance and transparency.
The crisis has intensified as FIFA's controversial proposal to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors has collapsed and been withdrawn. Amidst growing resistance from UEFA and CONCACAF, Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has accused FIFA of blackmail, alleging that financial assistance was linked to supporting Infantino's re-election. Additionally, The Athletic reports that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' funds, while former player Luís Figo has called for the President's resignation.
The crisis has intensified as FIFA withdrew its controversial proposal to sell commercial World Cup rights to private investors, a move that triggered significant resistance, particularly in Europe, and led UEFA to state that the current leadership has lost the confidence of the football community. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has accused FIFA of blackmail, alleging that financial assistance was linked to supporting Infantino's re-election, while several U.S. World Cup host cities report they are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' funds. Additionally, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström reportedly was not briefed on the investor deal and has since issued
The crisis intensified as FIFA withdrew its controversial proposal to sell commercial rights to private investors, a move that triggered a wave of indignation and resistance from European football associations. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein accused FIFA of 'blackmail,' alleging that financial support was being linked to endorsing Infantino's re-election. Additionally, The Athletic reported that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' funds, while UEFA and CONCACAF have also signaled a loss of confidence in the current leadership's governance and transparency.
The crisis has intensified following the collapse of the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors. Following this withdrawal, Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein accused FIFA of blackmail, alleging that financial assistance was being linked to support for Infantino's re-election. Additionally, multiple organizations including UEFA and CONCACAF have expressed a loss of confidence in the current leadership, while several US World Cup host cities report they are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' fund payments.
The crisis intensified following the collapse of the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which aimed to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors. Amid growing resistance in Europe and calls for resignation from figures like Luís Figo, Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein accused FIFA of blackmail, alleging that financial assistance was being linked to support for Infantino's re-election. Additionally, The Athletic reports that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' fund payments, while FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström expressed that recent developments are a 'sad and reprehensible development.'
The crisis intensified as FIFA withdrew its controversial proposal to sell commercial rights to private investors, a move met with fierce resistance particularly in Europe and calls for resignation from figures like Luís Figo. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has accused FIFA of attempting to link financial assistance to political support, describing the situation as one that 'amounts to blackmail.' Additionally, reports indicate that several US host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' funds, while FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström reportedly was not briefed on the investor deal and has since characterized recent developments as a 'sad and repreh
The crisis has escalated as FIFA withdrew its controversial plan to sell commercial World Cup rights to private investors, a move that triggered significant backlash and led to threats of lost support from various football associations. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein accused FIFA of attempting to link financial assistance to political endorsement, describing the situation as one that “amounts to blackmail.” Additionally, FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafström criticized recent developments in a message to employees, while several US host cities reportedly remain unpaid for promised 'Legacy' funds.
The crisis escalated as FIFA withdrew its controversial plan to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors, a move that triggered significant backlash from UEFA and CONCACAF. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein accused FIFA of blackmail, alleging that financial support was being tied to endorsing Infantino's re-election, while several US host cities reported they are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' funds. Additionally, FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafström distanced himself by stating he was not briefed on the investor deal, which he later described in an email to employees as a 'reprehensible development.'
The crisis has intensified following the collapse of the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal to sell commercial rights to private investors, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from UEFA, CONCACAF, and former footballer Luís Figo calling for Infantino's resignation. Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has accused FIFA of 'blackmail,' alleging that financial assistance was verbally linked to supporting Infantino’s re-election. Additionally, reports indicate that several US World Cup host cities are still awaiting promised 'Legacy' funds, while even FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström described recent developments as a 'reprehensible development'er
Following the withdrawal of Infantino's plan to sell World Cup commercial rights, pressure has intensified as multiple national associations—including Greece and those in CONCACAF—publicly withdrew support, while UEFA declared the leadership had lost the football community’s confidence; Jordan’s Prince Ali accused FIFA of linking financial aid to political support, citing unpaid Arab Cup prize money and alleging blackmail, and The Athletic confirmed that ten U.S. host cities are still awaiting $1 million each in promised Legacy funds despite record revenues, while FIFA’s internal email from Secretary General Grafström—unaware of the investor plan—called recent developments 'sad and reprehens
