Infantino offers external review and consultation on Fifa governance
Fifa president Gianni Infantino proposed commissioning an independent external review of the governing body's governance and setting up a structured consultation in a letter to Fifa council members and member associations seen by BBC Sport on 21 September 2026. He asked that the two reforms be put before the Fifa council at a meeting next month.
Infantino was first elected as Fifa president in 2016. The 56-year-old Swiss-Italian has faced pressure over his aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. He will stand for election for a fourth time in March 2027, with potential opponents having until 18 November to find an alternative candidate.
In the letter, Infantino said he would present two reform measures to the council. "First, I will ask the council whether it wishes to commission an independent external review of Fifa's current governance framework for major strategic initiatives and recommend potential improvements," said Infantino in the letter.
He also proposed a consultation phase to discuss reforms. "Second, I will propose that the council establish a direct, structured and time-limited consultation with confederations, member associations and relevant stakeholders on how Fifa's decision-making can be further strengthened.
"The consultation would invite specific proposals on earlier institutional involvement, the respective roles of the president, the bureau, the council and the congress, and practical ways to strengthen transparency, participation and accountability in major strategic initiatives," the letter added.
The proposals come amid controversy over the aborted FFE plan. FFE would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights of all competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold off to a private investment company, and 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.
Earlier this month Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, a Fifa vice-president, told Infantino to release all documents relating to his plan. Last month Uefa began preparing criminal legal proceedings against Infantino at courts in the US, demanding the release of all documents, and Fifa responded by accusing Uefa of a "smear campaign against it and its leadership" in its challenge to the litigation.
The council will consider whether to commission the independent review and to establish the time-limited consultation at its meeting next month. Infantino remains a candidate for the March 2027 presidential election, with potential challengers required to register by 18 November.
