Gianni Infantino proposes consultation with federations on FIFA governance reform | OneFootball

Gianni Infantino has proposed a time-limited consultation with FIFA’s member associations to review the organisation’s governance, setting out the plan in a letter to the Council and 211 federations on Monday.

According to L'Équipe, the consultation would examine who has a say on major initiatives, including the roles of the president, the Bureau, the Council and the Congress, and ways to improve transparency and accountability.

He suggested initial proposals could be discussed at the Council meeting on 15 October, adding that late written contributions, within a reasonable timeframe, would also be reviewed. Any statutory changes would go to Congress for approval.

Infantino said views differ on which body should decide major strategic questions. Some favour unanimity within the Bureau, others want matters sent directly to Congress. He wrote that his role is not to prejudge and that advocates should be able to make their case.

He added that associations’ positions on governance proposals would not affect how FIFA treats them, and that development and solidarity programmes would continue under existing rules.

The move comes as the FIFA president, seeking another term in March, faces heavy pressure over an unconsulted plan to create a commercial company for FIFA assets, including the World Cup. The project, called FIFA Forward Entreprise, was withdrawn after opposition from UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC, and Infantino later said it had caused concern and would not be implemented.

Despite the withdrawal, UEFA, then Concacaf and the AFC, have continued to press for Infantino’s departure.

Source: L'Équipe

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”