FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proposed an external review of FIFA governance as pressure continues to grow over the world football governing body’s decision-making processes and the collapse of his controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.
Infantino made the proposal in a letter sent to FIFA Council members and circulated to all of FIFA’s member associations. The FIFA president has suggested two reforms that will be considered at a council meeting next month, including the possibility of commissioning an independent review of the organization’s current governance framework.
The second proposal would establish a structured consultation period involving confederations, member associations and other relevant stakeholders, with the aim of examining how FIFA’s decision-making processes could be strengthened.
External review of FIFA governance proposed by Infantino
According to the letter seen by BBC Sport, Infantino will ask the FIFA Council whether it wants to commission an independent external review of FIFA’s governance framework for major strategic initiatives.
The review would examine the current structure and potentially recommend improvements to the way major decisions are made within the organization.
Infantino also proposed a “direct, structured and time-limited consultation” involving FIFA’s six confederations, member associations and relevant stakeholders.
The consultation would seek specific proposals concerning earlier institutional involvement in major initiatives, as well as the respective responsibilities of the FIFA president, bureau, council and congress.
Infantino also identified transparency, participation and accountability as areas where FIFA’s processes could be strengthened.
The proposals come at a significant moment for the organisation, with the FIFA president facing increasing scrutiny over the now-aborted FIFA Forward Enterprise plan.
FIFA Forward Enterprise controversy
The governance proposals follow growing criticism of Infantino’s plans for FIFA Forward Enterprise, a proposed commercial structure that would have created a new company to manage the commercial and ticketing rights associated with FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.
Under the proposal, 21% of the new company would have been sold to a private investment company.
The plan has generated opposition from several parts of football’s governing structure, with UEFA and Concacaf recently demanding that FIFA distribute $10m to each of its 211 member associations from the organization’s cash reserves.
The dispute has increased pressure on Infantino and FIFA to provide greater transparency around the proposal and the decision-making process behind it.
Earlier this month, Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president, called on Infantino to release all documents relating to the controversial plan.
The latest governance proposals could therefore provide an opportunity for FIFA to address some of the concerns that have emerged during the dispute.
Gianni Infantino faces growing scrutiny
Gianni Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016 and is preparing to stand for election for a fourth term in March 2027.
Potential opponents have until 18 November to identify an alternative candidate, meaning the debate over FIFA’s governance arrives several months before the next presidential election.
The proposed reforms also come after a growing dispute between FIFA and UEFA over the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan.
Last month, Uefa began preparing criminal legal proceedings against Infantino in courts in the United States in relation to the proposal and demanded the release of documents connected to the plan.
FIFA responded by accusing UEFA of conducting what it described as a “smear campaign” against the organization and its leadership, while also challenging the litigation.
The competing positions have added to the scrutiny surrounding FIFA’s governance and the processes through which major strategic initiatives are developed and approved.
What Infantino’s proposals would change
Infantino’s proposals are focused primarily on examining and potentially improving FIFA’s institutional processes rather than announcing a specific restructuring of the organisation.
An independent review, if approved, could examine the existing governance framework for major strategic initiatives and identify potential areas for improvement. The proposed consultation would then provide confederations, member associations and other stakeholders with an opportunity to put forward their own suggestions.
Among the areas identified by Infantino are the timing of institutional involvement and the roles played by the president, bureau, council and congress.
The proposals also specifically mention transparency, participation and accountability, three principles that are central to the debate surrounding FIFA’s handling of major strategic decisions.
For FIFA, the timing of the proposals is significant because they arrive while the organization faces continuing questions over the FFE plan and its wider decision-making processes.
The council meeting next month will therefore provide an important opportunity for FIFA members to consider whether an independent review should be commissioned and whether a formal consultation process should be established.
FIFA governance enters another period of scrutiny
Infantino’s proposals do not themselves establish an external review, as the FIFA Council must first consider whether to commission one.
They do, however, represent a notable development in the ongoing debate over how FIFA makes major strategic decisions and how its leadership engages with the wider football community.
The proposed consultation could also create a formal channel for confederations, national associations and other stakeholders to put forward recommendations on FIFA’s decision-making structure.
For Infantino, who is seeking another term as president, the issue is likely to remain closely connected to the wider debate over FIFA’s governance in the months ahead.
The immediate next step will be the FIFA Council meeting, where members will consider the proposals for an independent review and structured consultation.
Until then, the questions surrounding the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan, the legal dispute with UEFA and demands for greater transparency remain part of a broader discussion about the governance of world football’s governing body.
