Infantino apologises for World Cup shares plan but faces calls to release documents

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has apologised for his aborted plan to sell shares in the World Cup to private investors. The apology came at a meeting of FIFA's council in Zurich, the first time the council has met since the proposal became public. The plan had sparked a global backlash and left world football divided.

Infantino declined interview requests from reporters. After a three-hour meeting, he issued a video statement and did not take questions. In it, he said: 'I apologised 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.'

Some attendees were not satisfied. FA chair Debbie Hewitt had written to Infantino demanding that he release documents about the World Cup sell-off plan. Asked whether she had received the answers she wanted, she said: 'No, that's my biggest disappointment. I've repeatedly asked for the papers to be shared.' She said she was told Infantino regretted not coming to council and had apologised for that, but she argued that if that is what he regrets, he now has the chance to put it right and share the documentation. Hewitt added that her organisation had withdrawn its letter of support and nothing at the meeting had changed her view that this position should change.

Infantino was told he is not fit to lead unless he releases all the documents relating to the plans. A critic said: 'The man has to answer those questions and if he doesn't answer those questions, no he's not fit to be FIFA president.'

Despite the pressure, Infantino remains defiant. He is set to stand for a fourth term unopposed in next year's election. UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin, a principal critic, left Zurich with no credible challenger yet emerging. Ceferin said: 'It's important from my personal view that we do have an alternative. Somebody first and foremost who puts football first right at the heart of everything that they do. Secondly it has to somebody who unites the world.'

The council approved a proposal by Infantino to distribute more than £2.5 billion from FIFA's financial reserves for football development. That decision underlined his continued support around the world. With just a month until the deadline for election challengers to declare their candidacy, his tenure looks set to continue despite the controversy.