- August 6, 2026
Did Gianni Infantino Offer Morocco 2030 World Cup Final For Presidency Support? FIFA Says Report ‘Untrue And Misleading’
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Gianni Infantino is facing backlash after it was revealed that FIFA plans to open the World Cup to private investment.
Gianni Infantino has refused to resign in wake of the controversy. (AP Photo)
As FIFA continues to contain the fallout over its now-abandoned proposal to privatise the World Cup, a new report has claimed that the governing body’s president Gianni Infantino, who is facing mounting criticism, offered Morocco the hosting rights for the 2030 World Cup final if they support his presidency.
Infantino remains under pressure to step down following the controversial proposal, under which FIFA planned to raise up to $4.2 billion by valuing a new commercial subsidiary, the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), at $20 billion. The proposed entity was expected to oversee major tournaments, including the World Cup and the Club World Cup.
Under the proposal, each of FIFA‘s 211 member associations would have received a one-time payment of $20 million in early 2027. FIFA also proposed increasing their funding allocation for the 2027-2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million.
However, the proposal triggered a fierce backlash, with UEFA, European football’s governing body, saying it was prepared to boycott the World Cup if the plan went ahead.
Shortly after reports emerged that Infantino had allegedly offered Morocco the right to host the 2030 World Cup final, FIFA dismissed the claims as misleading, saying the decision on the venue would be taken at an “appropriate time”.
“It is untrue and misleading to claim that the FIFA president made any promises regarding the staging of the 2030 World Cup final. FIFA will take its decision at the appropriate time,” a FIFA spokesperson was quoted as saying by ESPN.
FIFA Apologises For WC Proposal
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, FIFA apologised for the proposal but reiterated its full support for its under-fire president.
In a statement, the FIFA Secretary General and members of the FIFA Management Board “reaffirmed their full support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as the only official elected by the 211 FIFA Member Associations.”
“The meeting also addressed the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, where mistakes made were acknowledged,” the statement said.
“It was agreed that it was not the intention for the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations to feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently. It was further acknowledged that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media.
“In a separate letter to the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations, an apology was made for these errors together with a commitment to ensure they do not happen again,” it added.
About the Author
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
August 06, 2026, 08:10 IST
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