Under-fire president calls Fifa staff to Morocco

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, August 5, 2026

FIFA President Gianni Infantino held an emergency meeting with senior staff in Rabat amid backlash over his controversial plan to sell World Cup hosting rights and increasing calls for his resignation. The meeting highlights deep divisions within FIFA’s leadership and growing opposition from member associations ahead of next year’s presidential election.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has convened a crisis meeting of senior FIFA staff in Rabat, Morocco, amid mounting pressure over a controversial World Cup hosting plan. Insiders say Infantino is seeking to consolidate support as calls for his resignation intensify.

The meeting in the Moroccan capital comes after Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, publicly criticized Infantino’s previously proposed plan to sell off World Cup hosting rights. Wenger described the withdrawal of the scheme as "absolutely necessary" and expressed frustration at being kept uninformed about its details. His comments have added to the growing scrutiny surrounding Infantino’s leadership.

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom also addressed staff via email, characterizing the events linked to the plan as a “sad and reproachable series of events.” This internal acknowledgment points to significant discord within FIFA’s leadership ranks.

The controversy has further escalated through statements by Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, president of the Jordan Football Association and former FIFA presidential candidate. He accused Infantino’s circle of exerting undue pressure on member associations to secure public endorsements ahead of FIFA’s presidential election scheduled for next year. On the social media platform X, Prince Ali described the campaign to rally support for Infantino as tantamount to “blackmail,” emphasizing that Jordan had never endorsed Infantino and would not do so now.

Currently, FIFA comprises 211 member associations, many of which are reportedly being urged by Infantino’s allies to publicly back his bid for re-election. However, dissent appears to be growing among influential stakeholders amid the fallout from the aborted World Cup rights scheme.

The developments mark a critical moment for Infantino’s leadership as FIFA faces internal turbulence ahead of a pivotal election. The crisis meeting in Rabat underscores the extent to which the president is relying on close associates and diplomatic engagement to maintain his position.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.