Embattled Fifa chief Gianni Infantino orders staff to crisis meeting as he fights to save job
Staff have been asked to attend a meeting at a hotel in the Moroccan capital, Rabat
Gianni Infantino has called FIFA staff to a crisis meeting in Morocco as pressure mounts on the president following the collapse of a controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.
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The 56-year-old has faced fierce criticism over the proposal, reportedly valued at £3.1 billion, which was later scrapped.
Staff have been asked to attend a meeting at a hotel in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, where Infantino is currently based.
UEFA and CONCACAF have both called for him to step down, with European football leaders declaring they have no confidence in the FIFA president.
If all UEFA and CONCACAF member nations follow their confederations’ position, opposition would rise to 91 countries. A total of 106 votes would be needed to remove him.
Jordan has also become the first Asian nation to publicly oppose Infantino.
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Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin Hussein accused Infantino of “blackmail”, claiming FIFA withheld support over issues including unpaid prize money and tax costs linked to the country’s World Cup participation.
He alleged assistance was tied to backing Infantino for a fourth term.
“We pride ourselves in Jordan in upholding ethical values,” Prince Ali said.
“We did not endorse him before and certainly will not now.
“But the whole situation amounts to blackmail and we refuse to give in to that.”
Infantino has not publicly responded to the allegation.
The pressure intensified after two senior FIFA figures distanced themselves from the proposed World Cup deal.
Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global football development, said he had not been involved in the plans and had first learned of them through media reports.
“The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question,” the former Arsenal manager said, adding that he believes in “an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency and integrity”.
FIFA secretary-general Mattias Grafström also reportedly told staff the organisation had been thrown into “turmoil” following what he described as a “sad and reproachable series of events”.
His message urged employees to remain focused on serving football’s 211 member associations, saying: “Individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go.”
The intervention came after Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, reportedly calling the proposal “a bad deal for football”.
Later, FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour allegedly told staff they had been “deceived”, describing the plan as a “project of one person”.