Gianni Infantino calls for external review of FIFA governance

Gianni Infantino has moved to steady the ship at FIFA. The president of world football's governing body has written to all 211 member associations and Council members proposing an independent review of the organisation's governance, after being forced to abandon a plan to sell a 20% stake in FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, to private investors.

Infantino's proposal to member associations: the key points

• Infantino will ask the Council whether it wishes to commission an independent external review of FIFA's current governance framework for major strategic initiatives.
• He will propose a direct, structured and time-limited consultation with confederations, member associations and relevant stakeholders.
• He insists that FIFA's democratic processes, independence and sporting authority were never for sale.
• UEFA, the Asian confederation and Concacaf had called for him to step down after the investor plan collapsed.
• The 56-year-old Swiss remains committed to standing for re-election.

Pressure to resign over the World Cup private investor plan

Infantino's position has weakened considerably in recent weeks. His attempt to sell a 20% stake in FIFA tournaments to private investors triggered widespread opposition within football and was eventually dropped. UEFA led the calls for him to leave office, with the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf, which represents countries in North and Central America plus the Caribbean, joining the push.

The Swiss official unveiled the investor plan in July and, despite the political damage it has caused, has made clear he still intends to run for re-election. In the letter sent on Monday, the broad outlines of which have been seen by several media outlets, he also argues that no association's treatment will depend on the stance it took on any proposal or institutional matter.

No association's treatment will depend on its position on any proposal or institutional matter. I remain fully committed to leading FIFA and confident in what we can achieve together.

How the external review of FIFA governance would work

In his letter, Infantino outlines a two-track approach to try to rebuild trust among member associations. First, he will ask the Council whether it wants an independent external review of FIFA's current governance framework for major strategic initiatives, with the aim of recommending potential improvements.

Second, he will propose that the Council establishes a direct, structured and time-limited consultation involving confederations, member associations and other relevant stakeholders in football. The goal is to gather specific proposals on earlier institutional involvement, the respective roles of the President, the Bureau, the Council and the Congress, and practical ways to strengthen transparency, participation and accountability in major strategic initiatives.

FA requests reviews into the investor plan and the Balogun case

The pressure on Infantino goes beyond the scrapped plan to sell a minority stake in FIFA competitions. Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt wrote to the FIFA president earlier this month calling for an independent review of the World Cup investor plan and of the handling of the Folarin Balogun case.

The FA sought clarity over a decision by FIFA's disciplinary committee to suspend a one-match ban for Balogun, a United States striker, during the World Cup. That suspension became public after US president Donald Trump's intervention in the matter, an episode that raised questions about the independence of the sanctioning process.

Infantino's re-election bid: what is at stake at the FIFA Congress

Infantino has led FIFA since 2016, driving an expansionist agenda that includes the 48-team World Cup and the new Club World Cup format. His re-election once looked straightforward, but the investor controversy has put at risk the backing of confederations that had previously been reliable allies.

By floating a potential external review and an institutional consultation, Infantino is effectively trying to contain the crisis and rebuild bridges with the 211 member associations ahead of an election in which he has given no sign of stepping aside.