Rabat: Following an emergency meeting in the Moroccan capital, FIFA, the world football’s governing body, has come under intense scrutiny amid a growing leadership crisis. The organization acknowledged mishandling the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which aimed to create a commercial subsidiary overseeing major tournaments. FIFA issued an apology for the errors and confirmed that the controversial proposal is now “off the table.” Despite this, UEFA has maintained its threat to boycott the World Cup, expressing a loss of confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

According to France24.com, the FFE proposal, which promised $40 million to each of FIFA’s 211 member associations, faced backlash due to its links to the Trump family, specifically naming Thrive Eternal, led by Joshua Kushner, as the main investment fund. UEFA’s refusal to lift its boycott underscores the deepening crisis surrounding Infantino’s leadership, with the European body insisting that not all conditions for reversing its stance have been met.

The controversy has also revealed internal divisions within FIFA. Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser, resigned, while chief operating officer Kevin Lamour criticized the lack of transparency. Mattias Grafstrom, FIFA’s secretary general, described the situation as “a sad and reproachable series of events” before showing support for Infantino after the meeting.

Criticism of FIFA has continued to escalate, with UEFA describing the proposal as an “opaque deal” and questioning the current FIFA leadership’s credibility. The European Leagues have called for governance reform, and CONCACAF has accused FIFA of neglecting the sport’s best interests. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and former football star Luis Figo have also voiced their disapproval, with Figo calling for Infantino’s resignation.

Despite rumors of Infantino promising Morocco the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for political support, a FIFA spokesperson refuted such claims. The leadership crisis has cast doubt on Infantino’s path to a fourth term as FIFA president, with several national associations withdrawing support. Potential successors have been speculated, yet no official challengers have emerged.

Amid the turmoil, Infantino may still rely on support from African nations, which have benefited from increased FIFA funding and the expansion of the World Cup. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has not publicly criticized the proposal, indicating that Infantino’s political influence in the region remains strong.