FIFA president Gianni Infantino has insisted he retains the backing of the “vast, vast majority” of world football, dismissing suggestions that he should resign following the collapse of the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Infantino laughed when asked whether he had considered stepping down after the plan to sell part of FIFA’s commercial rights to private investors was withdrawn within days.
The controversy has drawn criticism from senior football officials, with UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf previously raising concerns about FIFA’s handling of the proposal.
UEFA has now demanded that FIFA release key documents and answer outstanding questions by 2 November. General secretary Theodore Theodoridis said several fundamental issues remained unresolved.
Despite the criticism, Infantino’s position appears to have strengthened ahead of the FIFA presidential election in March 2027. He has received support from several football associations, making his re-election increasingly likely.
Infantino has also proposed increasing global football development funding by $3.4bn (£2.6bn). However, UEFA continues to demand greater transparency over the abandoned plan, leaving FIFA facing further scrutiny over its decision-making.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, remains defiant and insists disagreements will not prevent the organisation from moving forward.
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