FIFA staff to attend crisis meeting with Infantino in Rabat

Under-pressure FIFA president Gianni Infantino is set to hold a crisis meeting with senior staff in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday as questions over his future continue to intensify.

Senior FIFA officials have been summoned to the meeting following growing backlash over Infantino's now-abandoned proposal to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company that would have overseen the commercial and operational management of FIFA's tournaments.

The emergency talks are expected to be highly charged, with uncertainty surrounding Infantino's next move. One possibility is that he acknowledges the growing opposition, accepts that his position has become untenable and resigns. The alternative is that he vows to stay on, insisting he still has strong backing from member associations, particularly in South America, Africa and Asia.

As a seasoned football politician, Infantino is likely aware of the shifting mood within FIFA. The key question is whether he believes he can rebuild support or whether the pressure has become too great to withstand.

Critics argue the controversy stems from more than a single misstep. They claim plans to sell a stake in the commercial rights to the FIFA World Cup had been developed over a prolonged period with a small group of close advisers, making the backlash far more damaging than an isolated error of judgment.

Several figures familiar with FIFA's internal politics now believe Infantino faces an uphill battle to remain in office, although his future will ultimately depend on whether he can retain the confidence of FIFA's member associations.

Sepp Blatter wants first female FIFA president to replace Infantino

However, former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called for FIFA to appoint its first female president, backing Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness as the ideal successor to current president Gianni Infantino.
In a post on X, Blatter praised Klaveness for her independence and leadership, writing: “Lise Klaveness deserves the utmost respect. She was the only one who always took a clear stand and did not go along with the mainstream. And at FIFA, the time is right for a woman to take the lead.”
Klaveness has led the Norwegian Football Federation for the past four years, following careers as both an international footballer and a lawyer. During her tenure, she has earned a reputation for taking principled positions on major issues affecting the game, even when those views left Norway isolated among FIFA’s member associations.
She publicly criticised Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup while attending the FIFA Congress in Doha and has also questioned the process that awarded the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia. Earlier this year, Norway was among only a small number of FIFA’s 211 member associations that declined to sign letters supporting Infantino’s expected re-election in 2027.
Blatter served as FIFA president from 1998 until his resignation in 2015 amid a corruption scandal that rocked world football. Although he was cleared of personal corruption charges by a Swiss tribunal last August, his endorsement of Klaveness is likely to reignite debate over FIFA’s future leadership and the prospect of its first female president.