FIFA Executive Board without "satisfactory" answers from Infantino

International Football FIFA Executive Board without "satisfactory" answers from Infantino Gianni Infantino presided over the world body's first council since the scandal that nearly brought him down at the end of the summer. FIFA officials revealed this Thursday that the president of the organization, Gianni Infantino, expressed regret for the way he approached the possible opening of the World Cup to private investors, but without giving "satisfactory answers" to the Executive Board's questions. "What is disappointing is that we did not receive any answer to our specific requests," lamented Debbie Hewitt, president of the Football Association of England and vice-president of FIFA, after the meeting in Zurich, Switzerland. Gianni Infantino presided over the world body's first council since the scandal that nearly brought him down at the end of the summer, just weeks after he abandoned, under pressure, his secret project to open the World Cup to private investors, with links to Donald Trump. The revelation of this project triggered a wave of unprecedented criticism, with UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian confederation claiming their resignation, as well as many figures from international football. In front of some of the 37 members of the FIFA Executive Board, many of whom were displeased with the project, Infantino has made a "certain contrition," according to the British official. "He truly apologized for not submitting the matter to the Council," he explained, revealing that Infantino had asked for the questions to be "submitted in writing." "I think this man must answer these questions and, if he does not do so now, he is not fit to be the president of FIFA," he stated when the elections for the position will take place on March 18, 2027, during the congress in Rabat, Morocco. The president of the German federation, Bernd Neuendorf, said that Infantino had "many critical questions, without satisfactory answers" posed to him. "As he said, confidence in him is lost. New people must now develop new ideas and it is necessary to determine how to put this organization, which is extremely important for world football, on solid ground. We need an honest person, someone from whom the restoration of the entity's reputation can be expected, which, without a doubt, has been lost," he added. The president of the Mauritanian federation, Ahmed Yahya, considered Infantino's project to be of "interest to football," admitting that "what failed was the way" it was presented. The proposal had as its main incentive for the federations a fund of around 13.4 million euros for each federation, for the 2027-2031 cycle, if the idea were approved. Infantino planned to sell a stake of between 20% and 30% of a new commercial subsidiary to private investors, led by Joshua Kushner, brother of Donald Trump's son-in-law.