FIFA: Gianni Infantino launches consultation on governance reform

10:15

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has opened a new discussion on the organisation’s governance, proposing a structured consultation involving the 211 member associations, the confederations and other relevant stakeholders.

In a letter addressed to FIFA Council members and the presidents of the member associations, Infantino outlined a process aimed at examining how the organisation makes major strategic decisions. The initiative comes after recent criticism surrounding the handling of the now-withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise project and calls for greater consultation within the governing body.

The proposed review would examine how FIFA’s principal institutional bodies interact and how stakeholders can become involved earlier when important initiatives are being developed.

Roles of the president, Council and Congress under discussion

Among the issues identified for consultation are the respective responsibilities of the FIFA President, the Bureau, the Council and the Congress.

Infantino has also proposed examining practical mechanisms that could strengthen transparency, participation and accountability when FIFA considers major strategic projects. Written contributions from member associations and other stakeholders would form part of the consultation process.

The FIFA president has asked for initial proposals to be considered at the FIFA Council meeting scheduled for October 15. Contributions submitted afterward could also be reviewed if they arrive within a reasonable timeframe.

Any changes to FIFA’s statutes resulting from the process would ultimately have to be submitted to the FIFA Congress for consideration and approval under the organisation’s established procedures.

The FIFA Forward Enterprise controversy provides the backdrop

The governance discussion follows the withdrawal of the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which had envisaged bringing external investment into FIFA’s commercial and event operations.

The project attracted opposition from several football bodies and prompted demands for greater transparency over the decision-making process. FIFA subsequently said that the proposal was withdrawn and acknowledged that the process should have involved the Council and member associations differently. The organisation also announced that a review would be conducted.

On September 18, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani separately called for an independent review of FIFA’s financial reserves and governance following the abandoned project.

FIFA has previously stated that its 211 member associations have equal rights and obligations within the organisation. Its current strategic objectives also include continued work on FIFA’s statutes and regulations, including greater involvement of member associations, confederations and stakeholders in decision-making.

A process that could lead to statutory changes

The proposed consultation does not itself change FIFA’s governance framework. Instead, it establishes a mechanism for gathering proposals before any possible amendments are considered by the organisation’s formal decision-making bodies.

The next significant step is therefore expected at the October 15 FIFA Council meeting, when the first submissions could be discussed. Should the consultation produce concrete statutory proposals, the FIFA Congress would have the final institutional role in examining and approving those changes.

Infantino has also announced his intention to seek another term as FIFA president in 2027, adding an electoral dimension to the wider debate over the organisation’s governance structure.