Infantino says he is open to talks over Fifa reform

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Gianni Infantino was first elected as Fifa president in 2016

Sports editorPublished2 hours agoFifa president Gianni Infantino has proposed an external review of how world football's governing body operates, and says he is open to reform.

In a letter sent to members of the Fifa Council and all of its national associations, Infantino explains the independent process would "recommend potential improvements".

Before a meeting of the Council next month, Infantino says he is also suggesting a consultation on "how Fifa's decision-making can be further strengthened".

This would include proposals on the role of the president, as well as "practical ways to strengthen transparency, participation and accountability in major strategic initiatives".

Infantino has come under increasing pressure over his aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. That would have involved selling stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors, and it sparked a major backlash.

In what appears to be a conciliatory gesture, Infantino writes: "Over recent weeks, I have taken time to listen before writing to you", and says the consultation will be with confederations, member associations and "relevant stakeholders".

He insists that the FFE plan "did not involve relinquishing Fifa's control or authority over sporting decisions. Obviously!"

His letter adds: "The proposal entered the public domain before Fifa's planned institutional process had been completed and before it could be presented in full to the Council and the member associations. I recognise that, without the full context, this caused concern and created the impression that decisions had already been taken. They had not."

Infantino also claims that "democratic processes, independence and sporting authority were never for sale. They are not for sale and never will be."

He states he remains "fully committed to leading Fifa and confident in what we can achieve together".

Infantino's letter comes after Uefa and Concacaf - the confederations for Europe and North America, Central America and the Caribbean - demanded Fifa pays $10m to all 211 members from its cash reserves.

FFE would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights of all Fifa competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold off to a private investment company.

Infantino claims that the collapse of FFE "does not diminish our ambition or our responsibility to invest more of Fifa's success back into football.

"We will continue to explore sustainable ways to grow Fifa's resources and expand development and solidarity support for every member association," he adds in the letter.

"What changes is not the ambition, but the strength of the process through which major ideas are developed, tested and decided.

"The progress we have made over the past decade gives us a strong foundation for the future. It also gives us the confidence to examine whether our governance remains suited to the scale and complexity of the decisions ahead."

Earlier this month, Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, a Fifa vice-president, told Infantino to release all documents relating to his controversial plan.

The 56-year-old Swiss-Italian Fifa leader will stand for election for a fourth time in March 2027, with his opponents having until 18 November to find an alternative candidate.

Last month, European football's governing body Uefa began preparing criminal legal proceedings against Infantino at courts in the US over the FFE plan, demanding the release of all documents.

Fifa hit back and accused Uefa of a "smear campaign against it and its leadership" in a challenge to the litigation.

What information do we collect from this quiz?Infantino's tone shift represents change in bid to survive - analysisHaving defiantly clung to power for weeks amid an unprecedented rebellion over his presidency, this is a significant change in tone from Infantino - and the first sign that he may feel he has no choice but to compromise if he is to win another re-election in March.

On 15 October, the Fifa Council will meet for the first time since this crisis began, and Infantino will no doubt hope that this relieves some of the pressure he is under.

But even if he is prepared to accept some changes to the way Fifa is run, will that be enough to win over some of those that have turned against him?

As well as wanting him to step down, many of Infantino's critics want an overhaul of Fifa's governance, with curbs on the president's power (such as a maximum of a single term in office), more separation between the president and the Fifa administration, greater emphasis on human rights and sustainability, and the redistribution of Fifa's cash reserves.

It will be fascinating to see if Infantino is prepared to accept such changes if it means staying in power.

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