WORLD NEWS VIEWFIFA’s Infantino apologises over abandoned Forward Enterprise proposal
Football officials in England and Germany demanded more transparency around the shelved commercial initiative.
Published 16 October 2026 (IST); sources checked 15–16 October 2026.
What Infantino apologised for
FIFA President Gianni Infantino apologised at the FIFA Council meeting on 15 October over mistakes in the handling of the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. The plan had envisaged commercial changes to how international football competitions could generate revenue, but it was ultimately withdrawn.
Why members questioned the process
Officials from England and Germany said that consultation and transparency had been insufficient. FIFA’s own release acknowledged errors while emphasizing continued investment in its member associations and the formation of a group to examine governance reform.
What a governance review could address
This controversy is about the proposed enterprise and the process for deciding major policy changes, not an apology for the result of a specific World Cup match. Coverage should distinguish disagreement over governance from unsupported predictions about the leadership’s future.
Sources and verification
Read the report and check for later revisions: Primary reporting source
Photo is an archival image, not a photo of this event.