Infantino faces crisis talks as FIFA staff revolt deepens

The Swiss executive retreated on his FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal after sustained opposition from senior figures including Arsenal legend Arsène Wenger and FIFA's number two Mattias Grafstrom, according to Sky Sports.

Wenger, FIFA's chief of global football development, welcomed the withdrawal as "absolutely necessary and beyond question", stressing his commitment to "an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity."

Grafstrom, the secretary general, described the past week as a "sad and reproachable series of events" in an email to staff, promising they would be "defended and safeguarded from the political context." He pointedly noted that "individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go. The institution, its mission and its responsibility towards world football continue."

The turmoil was compounded when FIFA faced accusations from Jordan of "blackmailing" the nation over World Cup funding in exchange for supporting Infantino's presidency.

Sky Sports News' Kaveh Solhekol suggested the Wednesday meeting could prove decisive, speculating whether Infantino might resign or fight to retain his position. Solhekol cited widespread view among football insiders that the FIFA president's survival looks unlikely given what he called a "cataclysmic error of judgment" in plotting the FFE scheme.