Infantino Wins Backing After FIFA Scraps Plan That Sparked Revolt

FIFA's leadership has publicly backed President Gianni Infantino after he was forced to abandon a plan to sell off World Cup commercial rights, a move that had triggered a rare revolt within world football's governing body.

The declaration followed a crisis meeting in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday, called after mounting pressure from UEFA and other confederations threatened to derail Infantino's expected re-election to a fourth term at FIFA's Congress in March. In a statement, FIFA said Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom and members of its management board reiterated their backing for Infantino as "the only official elected by the 211 FIFA Member Associations. Infantino reciprocated support for Grafstrom and FIFA's administration.

Officials acknowledged that "mistakes were made" over the now-withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which would have sold a 20 percent stake in a new commercial rights body to private investors to raise $4.2bn, and involved a company with family ties to US President Donald Trump. FIFA said an apology had been issued in a separate letter to its managing council and member associations, with a review and report to follow. The organisation added it would "no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity" and would take "all necessary measures to defend its reputation. The meeting followed days of open dissent.

Infantino Wins Backing After FIFA Scraps Plan That Sparked Revolt

Most read in this category

CHELSEA'S £117M MOVE FOR ASTON VILLA FORWARD MORGAN ROGERS IS A GENUINE TRANSFER WINDOW SHOCK, BUT HOW DID THEY DO IT AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN

FENERBAHÇE HOSTED POLAND'S GORNIK ZABRZE TEAM IN THE FIRST MATCH OF THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2ND QUALIFYING ROUND AND GAINED AN ADVANTAGE F

WITH EVERY NEW ROUND OF ATTACKS RAISING POLITICAL COST OF COMPROMISE, ANALYSTS WARN THE WINDOW FOR PEACE MAY BE CLOSING.

IF WE HAVE LEARNED ONE THING FROM GIANNI INFANTINO'S FIFA TENURE, IT IS THAT MORE IS BETTER.

PLAYERS WILL NEED TO TAKE A TEST FOR THE SRY GENE, WHICH HELPS TO DETERMINE BIOLOGICAL SEX, THE WTA SAYS.

BATI LONDRA TARAFI, HAZIRAN AYI SONUNDA CITY'DEKI SÖZLEŞMESI SONA ERDIĞINDE SERBEST OYUNCU OLAN 32 YAŞINDAKI OYUNCU IÇIN BIR TRANSFER YAPMAY

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FANS GREET LA ROJA AS THEY TRAVEL DOWN MADRID'S HISTORIC AVENUES TO CIBELES SQUARE.

FOOTBALL IS ON ITS WAY HOME FROM THE WORLD CUP, WITH SOME SCRAPES AND FAILED ATTEMPTS AT PLASTIC SURGERY.

Infantino Wins Backing After FIFA Scraps Plan That Sparked Revolt

Most read in this category

CHELSEA'S £117M MOVE FOR ASTON VILLA FORWARD MORGAN ROGERS IS A GENUINE TRANSFER WINDOW SHOCK, BUT HOW DID THEY DO IT AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN

FENERBAHÇE HOSTED POLAND'S GORNIK ZABRZE TEAM IN THE FIRST MATCH OF THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2ND QUALIFYING ROUND AND GAINED AN ADVANTAGE F

WITH EVERY NEW ROUND OF ATTACKS RAISING POLITICAL COST OF COMPROMISE, ANALYSTS WARN THE WINDOW FOR PEACE MAY BE CLOSING.

IF WE HAVE LEARNED ONE THING FROM GIANNI INFANTINO'S FIFA TENURE, IT IS THAT MORE IS BETTER.

PLAYERS WILL NEED TO TAKE A TEST FOR THE SRY GENE, WHICH HELPS TO DETERMINE BIOLOGICAL SEX, THE WTA SAYS.

BATI LONDRA TARAFI, HAZIRAN AYI SONUNDA CITY'DEKI SÖZLEŞMESI SONA ERDIĞINDE SERBEST OYUNCU OLAN 32 YAŞINDAKI OYUNCU IÇIN BIR TRANSFER YAPMAY

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FANS GREET LA ROJA AS THEY TRAVEL DOWN MADRID'S HISTORIC AVENUES TO CIBELES SQUARE.

FOOTBALL IS ON ITS WAY HOME FROM THE WORLD CUP, WITH SOME SCRAPES AND FAILED ATTEMPTS AT PLASTIC SURGERY.