06 Aug 2026, 15:06
Mark Kurni says he submitted an application to FIFA in error
- Mark Kurni said he mistakenly submitted an application to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, adding that he did so after being sent an email in Ukrainian.
- FIFA said it is investigating the case of “false submission” by Infantino after a crisis meeting in Rabat regarding the FFE.
- The FIFA president-elect said he will not be involved in the process of the election of the FIFA president, adding that the decision is expected to be made by 18 July.
Mark Kurni, the newly appointed interim president of FIFA, said he mistakenly submitted an application to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. In his words, Kurni, Infantino’s application, was sent in error through “a Ukrainian-language email,” which he says he did not understand, as it contained a reference to FIFA’s direct directorate for the payment of goals.
Commenting on Kurni’s claims, Infantino said that the information provided concerns the sale of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) in the context of the commercial operations carried out, with the involvement of the Football Championship for the sale. The material also states that the plan includes a reduction in the amount of the global sales, while UEFA is the only football structure.
In response to the crisis situation at FIFA, the FIFA president-elect said that at this time in Rabat (Morocco) the general secretary of FIFA Management Board, Mattias Grafström, submitted the “false submission” application to Infantino. FIFA, for its part, said it is investigating the claims of the FIFA Council, which in all 211 member states is expected to be resolved. The material states that the FIFA president-elect will not be involved in the process of the election, and the decision will be made by 18 July.
The material also says that the FIFA President-elect will be speaking at the 2026 World Cup in Moscow, and that Kurni claimed he had received it from Infantino in a few days.
Tags: Sport/Football