The President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, expressed his readiness to carry out structural reforms within the institution, in an official letter addressed to the presidents of the 211 national federations and members of the FIFA Council.
In his letter, Infantino welcomed an independent review of the federation’s policies, as well as opening the door to discussion on strengthening decision-making mechanisms and precisely defining the powers of the FIFA president.
This step comes in the wake of severe criticism faced by Infantino due to his controversial plans to privatize the marketing rights of FIFA tournaments, most notably the World Cup. These plans have led the European Football Association to threaten to boycott FIFA competitions, and to prepare to file a lawsuit, in addition to demanding the resignation of the Federation’s president.
Infantino, who has held the presidency of FIFA since 2016, faces increasing and strong opposition from several continental federations, most notably the Asian Confederation, the North and Central American Federation, and CONCACAF.
Despite the extent of the current pressures and challenges, Gianni Infantino confirmed his intention to move forward and run for a new term in the FIFA presidential elections scheduled to be held next year, 2027.
