Fifa has abandoned a controversial plan to introduce private investment into its competitions, a decision hailed as "absolutely necessary" by Arsene Wenger, the organization's chief of global football development.
The move followed significant internal dissent, with Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom describing the past week as "difficult to comprehend and accept" in an internal memo to staff. Grafstrom, a close ally of Fifa President Gianni Infantino, urged employees to remain focused on the organization's core mission of serving football and its 211 member associations.
"We have all been thrown into the middle of a turmoil, which is difficult to comprehend and accept," Grafstrom wrote in the memo. He assured staff that they would be "defended and safeguarded from the political context we currently experience" and that "individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go."
Grafstrom emphasized that the institution, its mission, and its responsibility to world football endure, stressing the importance of maintaining professionalism, perspective, and composure. He also stated that the conclusion of the project, though dismaying, was thankfully permanent.
The plan for private investment had faced criticism, leading to its ultimate scrapping. Grafstrom's internal communication suggests a period of significant internal disruption within the global football governing body. He was appointed chief of staff in 2016 after Infantino's election as president and rose to secretary general in 2024, one of Fifa's most influential roles.