Gianni Infantino apologised to the FIFA Council as it abandoned a controversial $4.2 billion investment plan and faced intense scrutiny over its governance. The 37-member council met in Zurich for three and a half hours on Thursday, 15 October 2026, to address the fallout from the withdrawn Forward Enterprise proposal.
Details of the Forward Enterprise investment plan revealed
The proposed commercial subsidiary sought $4.2 billion from private investors, with a reported valuation of around $20 billion. The lead investor was identified as Thrive Eternal, an investment company linked to Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner. FIFA withdrew the entire proposal in July 2026, leaving council members seeking answers about the process and its sudden termination.
Reactions and consequences from football authorities
European football's governing body, UEFA, has pursued legal action in the United States to obtain evidence related to the abandoned plan. The chairs of the English and German football associations were vocal in their criticism following the Zurich meeting. Bernd Neuendorf, president of the German Football Association, said members had not received satisfactory answers about the abandoned investment proposal or the organization's recent governance decisions. Debbie Hewitt, chair of the English Football Association, argued that council members needed access to relevant information before they could properly assess the organization's investment decisions. The council also faced questions about a disciplinary decision involving United States forward Folarin Balogun at the 2026 World Cup and agreed to review procedures for its peace prize, first awarded to former US President Donald Trump in 2025.
FIFA outlines future funding plans and election timeline
In response to the criticism, FIFA discussed significantly increasing its development funding. Existing arrangements provide $10 million per member association through 2030. Infantino proposed an additional $15 million per association over the following four years, which could raise combined funding to $25 million for each of FIFA's 211 members. Ahmed Yahya, president of the Mauritanian soccer federation, defended Infantino after the meeting, noting the importance of such funding for Africa's 54 member associations. The council confirmed the next presidential election will be held on 18 March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco, with Infantino seeking another term. Prospective challengers must submit nominations by 18 November 2026. Former Swiss international Ramon Vega announced his intention to challenge Infantino in October 2026. Infantino first won the presidency at an Extraordinary Congress in Zurich on 26 February 2016.
Read the full report at Yahoo Sports
