Arabic version: إنفانتينو يعتذر ويحتفظ بدعم التنفيذيين في فيفا

According to BBC News, Gianni Infantino apologised for “errors” linked to plans to sell stakes in Fifa competitions to private investors, but will remain Fifa president after senior executives backed him at a meeting in Rabat, Morocco.

Infantino called the management board meeting on Wednesday following criticism of the abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal. Fifa said mistakes regarding the plan were acknowledged and that it had not intended for the Fifa Council and member associations to feel excluded. It said the process should have been handled differently.

Infantino and Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom sent a signed letter to vice-presidents, the council and 211 member associations, saying they “sincerely apologise” for their errors and would ensure they did not happen again. Following the meeting, Grafstrom and the management board reaffirmed their full support for Infantino.

The proposal had offered each association $40m (£30m) in return for backing private investment in tournaments including the men’s and women’s World Cups through a new subsidiary. Uefa said it had lost confidence in Infantino, describing the proposal as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal”, while several member associations, including Wales, withdrew re-election support.

Fifa said it remained in full compliance with its regulatory framework and said the meeting’s outcomes would strengthen governance and restore confidence. Infantino, 56, is expected to seek a fourth term. Candidates have until 18 November to stand, before the election at the Fifa Congress in Morocco in March 2027.