FIFA president Gianni Infantino has apologised to the world football governing body’s Council over mistakes in the handling of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, admitting that shortcomings in communication and consultation contributed to the controversy surrounding the proposal.
Speaking at a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich on Thursday, Infantino acknowledged concerns over the proposed initiative, which had generated debate about its potential implications for FIFA’s football development funding.
Read Also: “African Talent Is Shaping World Football” — Infantino Pledges More FIFA Investment After $1bn Development Push
“First of all, I apologise for the mistakes that we made in relation to the communication and consultation process related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which then led to many consequences,” Infantino stated.
The FIFA president, however, insisted that the initiative had not been finalised, stressing that it remained a proposal rather than an approved agreement.
“What is important to remember is that it was a proposal, so in no way a done deal, just a proposal,” he explained.
Infantino maintained that the intention behind the project was to generate additional resources for football development, particularly through increased investment in FIFA’s member associations.
He rejected the suggestion that the proposal was designed to replace existing financial support arrangements.
“It actually intended to enable FIFA to invest more in our member associations, as opposed to replacing support from existing resources,” he said.
The controversy has raised questions about consultation and transparency within FIFA, with Infantino’s apology acknowledging that the process surrounding the initiative had not been handled satisfactorily.
His clarification also sought to distinguish the project’s stated development objectives from concerns about how the proposal was communicated to football stakeholders.
The FIFA Forward Programme remains a major mechanism through which the governing body supports football development across its member associations.
Infantino’s remarks suggest that any future consideration of the enterprise proposal would need to address the consultation concerns that prompted criticism.
While accepting responsibility for mistakes in the communication process, Infantino maintained that the project was never a completed agreement and was intended to expand, rather than diminish, FIFA’s investment in football development.
 project){kind=link}