Aug 05 (v7n) - FIFA President Gianni Infantino held emergency talks with other FIFA directors in Morocco on Wednesday, a source told AFP, as criticism mounts over his now-abandoned plan to open the World Cup to private investment.

Infantino has faced growing pressure—including from within FIFA—over his handling of the proposal, and calls for his resignation have intensified since he shelved the plan last Saturday. Among those believed to be at the meeting is FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom, whose internal email criticising the plan was leaked on Tuesday.

Infantino, a 56-year-old Swiss lawyer, held the meeting at FIFA's Africa regional office in Sale, near Rabat, while in Morocco to celebrate last week's Feast of the Enthronement. Morocco is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup, and Moroccan Football chief Fouzi Lekjaa—one of the few public supporters of Infantino since the climbdown—praised the president's "wise" move to scrap the plan in the interests of "unity and cohesion."

The proposal, which FIFA floated last week, would have raised up to $4.2 billion through a new commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to run events like the World Cup and Club World Cup. It offered member associations a one-off $20 million payment and increased funding for the 2027–2030 cycle. Instead of winning support, it triggered a furious backlash—with UEFA threatening to boycott the World Cup itself.

By Saturday, Infantino withdrew the plan, stating, "Our purpose has always been—and will always be—to unite and improve." But UEFA condemned the proposal as a "shabby, back room, opaque deal" and said FIFA leadership had lost its confidence. CONCACAF went further, calling for "a comprehensive reckoning with this presidency" and criticising "poor governance and leadership."

Grafstrom's leaked email added to the crisis, describing the fiasco as "a sad and reproachable series of events," while adding, "Individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go. The institution, its mission and its responsibility towards world football continue."

end/wsp/rh/