FIFA president Gianni Infantino has apologised for his secretive plan to sell off a stake in future World Cups, but the gesture has failed to quell a growing rebellion from European football leaders who want him to resign. The apology was delivered during a three-hour FIFA Council meeting in Zurich on Thursday, where Infantino expressed regret for not informing the council earlier about the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.

FA chair Debbie Hewitt was among those who dismissed the apology as insufficient. She said council members had not received answers to specific questions about the FFE plan or a separate incident involving US striker Folarin Balogun. "The man has to answer those questions, and if he doesn't answer those questions, no, he's not fit to be FIFA president," Hewitt told reporters after the meeting. "That was what was shared in the meeting."

Pressure mounts over finances and transparency

The abandoned FFE plan would have sold a 20% stake in all future FIFA tournaments to private equity investors. European confederation UEFA, along with others, believed the stake was being offered at a knockdown price, valuing the new company at just $20 billion despite the 2026 World Cup generating $15 billion in revenue alone. UEFA is now pursuing legal action to force the release of all documents related to the scheme, seeking greater transparency.

Infantino also faced scrutiny over the decision to suspend a one-match ban for USA forward Folarin Balogun during the World Cup, following a reported call from former US President Donald Trump. FIFA's Legal Committee will review its disciplinary procedures, with findings presented at the next council meeting in December.

Landmark funding package announced

Alongside the governance crisis, FIFA unveiled a massive new funding initiative driven by the commercial success of the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup. The FIFA Surplus Solidarity Programme will more than double development funding for the 2027-2030 cycle to $6.35 billion. This will see each of FIFA's 211 member associations receive an allocation of $25 million, while maintaining $1.7 billion in reserves.

"In ten years since I became FIFA President, we have gone from USD 1 million per FIFA Member Association to USD 25 million each, all across the world," Infantino said in a statement. He thanked those who had provided input on distributing the funds, emphasising a need to "look forward in a spirit of unity."

Peace Prize set for the scrapheap

Another controversial Infantino initiative, the FIFA Peace Prize, is likely to be scrapped. The award was only introduced in 2025, with Donald Trump its sole recipient after receiving it from Infantino in Washington last December. FIFA's Football Social Responsibility Committee is assessing the award, with a final decision expected at the December council meeting.

Leadership challenge looms

With Infantino hoping to be re-elected unopposed for a fourth term next March, UEFA is actively seeking a candidate to challenge him. Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, ex-Portugal star Luis Figo, and multi-club owner Michele Kang have been mentioned as potential rivals, though none have yet declared. Candidates have until November 18 to enter the race. Figo has already publicly called for Infantino's resignation, writing in a column that the president should step down over the sell-off scandal.

Read the full report at Sky Sports