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Infantino apologises to FIFA Council but critics demand answers

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Neutral summary

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has apologised to the organisation's council for his failed plan to open World Cups to private investors, but the apology has failed to satisfy critics who are pushing for him to step down. At the FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, the first since the scandal erupted, Infantino said he was sorry “for the mistakes that we made in relation to the communication and consultation process” over the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, which would have seen a portion of FIFA's competition commercial rights sold to a private investment firm. The plan was scrapped after major backlash, but the council still has not received the FFE papers, which critics had specifically requested. Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president, said there were “no satisfactory answers” and that she had received “no new information” to change her position. German FA president Bernd Neuendorf described the results of the meeting as “thin”. Hewitt warned that if Infantino does not answer the questions, he is “not fit to be Fifa president”. According to The Guardian, UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation have already expressed opposition to Infantino's bid for a fourth term. Amid the crisis, FIFA has proposed increasing payments to member associations and reviewing its governance, and, according to La Jornada, doubling funding for the current cycle to $6.3 billion. The FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 2027.

How it was framed

Outlets: 41. Countries: 20. Facts in the shared core: 5.

Publication timeline

  1. · O Globo (outlet profile)

    Oposição articula candidatura para desafiar Infantino na eleição da Fifa em 2027. Dirigentes do futebol europeu estão confiantes de que conseguirão apresentar um candidato para enfrentar Gianni Infantino na eleição pres…

  2. · Kicker (outlet profile)

    FIFA-Gipfel: Infantino-Kritiker halten an Rücktrittsforderung fest - Friedenspreis auf Prüfstand. Dreieinhalb Stunden tagen die Top-Funktionäre der FIFA. Doch die erhofften Antworten nach dem Skandal-Sommer liefert Präs…

  3. · Die Welt (outlet profile)

    „Befriedigende Antworten hat es nicht gegeben“, berichtet Neuendorf nach der Sitzung mit Infantino. Erstmals seit seinen umstrittenen WM-Investorenplänen trifft Gianni Infantino auf seine Gegner. Dabei entschuldigt sich…

  4. · The Independent (outlet profile)

    Gianni Infantino apologises for World Cup sell-off plan, but told he’s ‘not fit to be Fifa president’. FA chair Debbie Hewitt received ‘no new information’ to change her position during the three-and-a-half hour meeting…

  5. · GB News (outlet profile)

    Gianni Infantino apologises to FIFA Council for World Cup sell-off plan. Gianni Infantino has apologised to the FIFA Council for his failed World Cup sell-off plan. The FIFA President met with the FIFA Council in Zurich…

  6. · City AM (outlet profile)

    Fifa still refusing to share World Cup sell-off papers, says FA chair. Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt says the Fifa Council is still being denied full transparency over Gianni Infantino’s aborted World Cup sel…

  7. · Beta (outlet profile)

    Infantino se izvinio zbog plana o prodaji udela od takmičenja privatnim investitorima. Predsednik Međunarodne fudbalske federacije (Fifa) Đani Infantino izvinio se danas zbog plana o prodaji udela u budućim prihodima od…

  8. · Tanjug (outlet profile)

    Predsednik FIFA Đani Infantino uputio izvinjenje Savetu FIFA zbog plana o prodaji Svetskih prvenstava

  9. · Al Jazeera (outlet profile)

    FIFA President Infantino apologises to council but critics remain unhappy. FIFA council meeting lasts over three hours as President Gianni Infantino apologises to members, but critics want more.

  10. · Lenta.ru (outlet profile)

    Инфантино извинился за продажу прав на проведение чемпионата мира

  11. · Politika (outlet profile)

    Ђани Инфантино се извинио Савету ФИФА због његовог плана о продаји. Тема која је изазвала највише пажње на Савету био план продаје Мондијала вредан 4,2 милијарде долара

  12. · Nova.rs (outlet profile)

    Infantino se izvinio zbog plana koji je izazvao potres u fudbalu. Predsednik Međunarodne fudbalske federacije FIFA Đani Infantino izvinio se zbog plana o prodaji udela u budućim prihodima od Svetskog prvenstva privat

  13. · ТАСС (outlet profile)

    Инфантино извинился за ошибки, связанные с проектом FIFA Forward Enterprise. Глава ФИФА хотел создать компанию, которая будет контролировать главные мужские и женские соревнования организации

  14. · O Globo (outlet profile)

    Membros de conselho da Fifa criticam Infantino por falta de explicações sobre plano frustrado para a Copa do Mundo. O presidente da Fifa, Gianni Infantino, pediu desculpas pela forma, mas não deu "respostas satisfatória…

  15. · Channel NewsAsia (outlet profile)

    Infantino apology fails to sway England, Germany over FIFA future

  16. · Kicker (outlet profile)

    "Mit Infantino nicht möglich": Neuendorf fordert Neuanfang. DFB-Präsident Bernd Neuendorf fordert einen Umschwung bei der FIFA, unter anderem auf personeller Ebene. Dieser sollte im besten Fall ohne den aktuellen Präsid…

  17. · www.rbc.ru (outlet profile)

    Инфантино извинился за скандальный проект ФИФА о продаже прав на ЧМ. Джанни Инфантино принес извинения за ошибки в коммуникации и консультациях по проекту FIFA Forward Enterprise, от которого федерация отказалась нескол…

  18. · The National (UAE) (outlet profile)

    Gianni Infantino apologies to Fifa Council over World Cup sell-off plan

  19. · The National (UAE) (outlet profile)

    Gianni Infantino apologises to Fifa Council over World Cup sell-off plan

  20. · Clarín (outlet profile)

    Gianni Infantino pidió unidad y se disculpó por su proyecto fallido, pero la crisis en la FIFA sigue abierta: "Se perdió la confianza en él". El presidente de la FIFA encabezó la primera reunión del Consejo tras el Mund…

  21. · Pink (outlet profile)

    Infantino se pokajao zbog plana o prodaji Svetskog prvenstva - Mora da se izvinjava celom svetu. Đani Infantino je na današnjem sastanku Saveta FIFA u Cirihu ponudio izvinjenje tokom napete sednice.

  22. · La Tercera (outlet profile)

    Infantino se disculpa mientras la UEFA apunta a Wenger como candidato: los detalles del tenso Consejo de la FIFA en Zúrich. La plana mayor del organismo se reunió en Suiza a un mes de que se anuncien los candidatos a la…

  23. · El Economista (outlet profile)

    Infantino se disculpa, pero "sin respuestas satisfactorias", según dos miembros del Consejo. Su proyecto secreto de abrir el Mundial a inversionistas privados desencadenó una oleada de críticas sin precedentes.

  24. · Aristegui Noticias (outlet profile)

    Infantino se disculpa ‘sin respuestas satisfactorias’, según miembros del Consejo. "Hicimos muchas preguntas críticas, y desde mi punto de vista no hubo respuestas satisfactorias", lamentó también el presidente de la Fe…

  25. · Terra (outlet profile)

    Infantino pede desculpas por erros em projeto de investimentos da Fifa. O presidente da Fifa, Gianni Infantino, pediu desculpas "pelos erros cometidos" na condução de ...

  26. · La Patilla (outlet profile)

    Infantino pide perdón por su proyecto fallido, pero sigue en peligro su reelección en la Fifa.   El presidente de la FIFA, Gianni Infantino, pidió disculpas por los errores cometidos en la gestión y comunicación de…

  27. · Dnevnik (Novi Sad) (outlet profile)

    Ђани Инфантино упутио извињење Савету ФИФА због плана о продаји Светског првенства у фудбалу. Председник Светске фудбалске федерације (ФИФА) Ђани Инфантино упутио је извињење Савету ФИФА због плана о продаји права на ор…

  28. · RMC Sport (outlet profile)

    Infantino s'excuse après l'abandon de son projet d'ouvrir la Coupe du monde à des investisseurs privés. Le président de la Fifa, Gianni Infantino, a exprimé des regrets sur la forme mais n'a pas apporté de "réponses sat…

  29. · Le Parisien (outlet profile)

    « Nous nous excusons pour les erreurs commises » : le mea-culpa de Gianni Infantino après son projet d’investisseurs privés

  30. · Terra (outlet profile)

    Infantino se desculpa, mas é cobrado por conselheiros em reunião da Fifa. A reunião do Conselho da Fifa em Zurique não foi da maneira que Gianni Infantino imaginava, ...

Factual core

  • Infantino's apology was made during a FIFA Council meeting.
  • Gianni Infantino apologized to the FIFA Council for a plan to sell rights to organize World Cups to private companies.
  • The plan involved selling rights to the World Cup.
  • The meeting was held with the FIFA Council.
  • Bernd Neuendorf, president of the German Football Federation, said critical questions were asked and no satisfactory answers were given

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