FIFA President Gianni Infantino has proposed an independent external review of the organisation’s governance framework for major strategic initiatives, following the controversy surrounding the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project.
In a letter sent to the FIFA Council and the presidents of all 211 FIFA member associations, Infantino said he would ask the Council to consider commissioning an independent assessment that could recommend improvements to FIFA’s decision-making processes. He also proposed a structured consultation with the six continental confederations, member associations and other relevant stakeholders.
The proposed review would examine how major strategic decisions are developed and the respective responsibilities of the FIFA President, the Bureau, the FIFA Council and the FIFA Congress, while considering measures to strengthen transparency, participation and accountability. Any changes to FIFA’s statutes would ultimately require approval through the organisation’s established Congress process.
“I will ask the Council whether it wishes to commission an independent external review of FIFA’s current governance framework for major strategic initiatives and recommend potential improvements,” Infantino wrote.
He added that he would propose a direct, structured and time-limited consultation involving the confederations, member associations and other stakeholders on how FIFA’s decision-making could be strengthened.
Infantino Defends FIFA’s Independence
Infantino also used the letter to address one of the central criticisms surrounding the FFE proposal, insisting that the initiative never involved FIFA surrendering its control over football’s sporting affairs.
“The FFE Plan did not involve relinquishing FIFA’s control or authority over sporting decisions.”
He further stated: “FIFA’s democratic processes, independence and sporting authority were never for sale.”
The FFE proposal, announced in July, envisaged creating a FIFA-owned commercial subsidiary that would consolidate commercial and tournament-related activities and potentially bring in external investment. FIFA had argued that the additional commercial value could generate substantially more resources for football development across its 211 member associations.
However, the proposal triggered significant opposition from several parts of world football. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF were among the organisations that subsequently called for changes to FIFA’s leadership and decision-making structure. The proposal was withdrawn on July 31 after Infantino acknowledged that the divisions it had generated were no longer in the interests of FIFA’s stated objectives.
FIFA subsequently acknowledged that the process surrounding FFE could have been handled differently, particularly because the proposal became public before the organisation’s planned institutional process had been completed. FIFA said in August that a review of the FFE process would be presented to the FIFA Council.
A Second Review Is Now Being Proposed
The latest initiative is broader than the previously announced review of the FFE episode itself. While FIFA has already said a review of the withdrawn FFE proposal will be presented to the Council, Infantino is now proposing an independent examination of the organisation’s wider governance framework for major strategic initiatives.
The distinction is significant: the FFE review concerns how a particular proposal was developed and handled, while the newly proposed external assessment could consider whether FIFA’s institutional structure itself provides sufficient checks, consultation and accountability when major strategic projects are being considered.
Funding and Development Remain Central
Infantino also maintained that withdrawing FFE does not change his objective of increasing the resources available for football development. “We will continue to explore sustainable ways to grow FIFA’s resources and expand development and solidarity support for every member association.”
FIFA had originally presented FFE as a mechanism through which additional commercial value could be captured and redirected into development programmes. Its July proposal suggested that FIFA Forward funding could potentially rise substantially during the 2027–30 cycle if the project received approval.
That financial argument remains part of the wider debate. On September 18, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani proposed an independent review of FIFA’s financial reserves and called for about $2.1 billion to be distributed among FIFA’s 211 member associations during the 2027–30 cycle, arguing that FIFA’s existing financial position could support increased development funding without the proposed external investment arrangement. FIFA had not immediately responded to Reuters on that proposal.
October Council Meeting to Consider Proposals
Infantino’s letter sets the October 15 FIFA Council meeting as an important point for the next stage of the discussion. He said proposals received before that meeting could be considered, while submissions received afterwards could also be examined within an appropriate timeframe. Any amendments requiring changes to FIFA’s statutes would then have to go through the formal approval process.
The FIFA president also stressed that member associations should be treated equally regardless of their position on individual institutional proposals. “No association’s treatment will depend on its position on any proposal or institutional matter.”
He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to remain FIFA president: “I remain fully committed to leading FIFA and confident in what we can achieve together.”
The latest proposal comes amid continuing debate over FIFA’s governance and Infantino’s leadership ahead of the March 2027 FIFA presidential election. While Infantino presents the external review and consultation as an opportunity to strengthen the organisation’s institutions, some critics have questioned the timing and motivation behind the initiative. German Football Association president Bernd Neuendorf, for example, described the letter as an attempt to strengthen Infantino’s re-election prospects, a characterization attributable to Neuendorf rather than an established fact.