Gianni Infantino REFUSES to resign as FIFA president

Gianni Infantino has refused to resign as FIFA president amid significant backlash. The embattled chief apologized and vowed to fight on as he broke cover after being forced to abandon plans for a World Cup sale. On August 6, 2026, Infantino met with FIFA executives in Morocco to address the fallout from his controversial proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors.

This crisis meeting followed intense criticism, particularly from football legend Luis Figo, who labeled Infantino's now-aborted plan as the ‘lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour’ he had ever witnessed. Figo's comments escalated the pressure on Infantino, who has managed to retain his position, at least for the time being. In a statement released following the meeting, FIFA acknowledged that mistakes were made and stated that a review would be carried out. The FIFA statement also confirmed that Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom and other management board members expressed their full support for Infantino despite previous criticism.

Following Figo's remarks and UEFA’s withdrawal of confidence in Infantino, the FIFA president faced mounting calls for his resignation. UEFA labeled the proposal to sell commercial and event operations a ‘shabby, back room, opaque deal’. Grafstrom sent an internal memo describing the situation as ‘sad and reproachable’, but later appeared relaxed and jovial with Infantino at a women’s Africa Cup of Nations game. Infantino now faces re-election in March, needing 106 votes from FIFA's 211 members to secure another term.

Despite the tumult, FIFA stated that it will not tolerate any attacks on its integrity or governance and will take necessary measures to protect its reputation. The organization emphasized the importance of learning from this experience, yet maintained that all actions taken were compliant with FIFA’s regulatory framework. As Infantino continues to face criticism, his challenge will be to navigate the turbulent waters of football governance leading into the crucial re-election period.