UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin declared on Wednesday that trust in world football governance has not been restored, even after the collapse of FIFA's controversial private investment plan. Speaking at the Portugal Football Summit, Ceferin's remarks marked his first public comments since FIFA president Gianni Infantino proposed a review of the governing body's decision-making processes.

Ceferin emphasized that unity, transparency, and governance serving the broader interests of the sport are fundamental for maintaining trust in football. He articulated that these core principles were recently disregarded by individuals who were meant to uphold them, suggesting a betrayal of their responsibilities.

The UEFA president stated that while the "project that shattered the unity of world football may be abolished," the broken trust has not yet returned, and its repair is the ongoing task. Although he did not explicitly name Infantino or FIFA, his comments were widely understood as a direct reference to the abandoned proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in FIFA's commercial rights, including the lucrative World Cup, to private investors.

This proposed deal faced significant opposition and was ultimately dropped in July following strong criticism from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF. Ceferin reiterated UEFA's long-standing message, "Football is not for sale," expressing certainty that the summit would further amplify this sentiment.

Ceferin's intervention followed a letter sent by Infantino to the FIFA Council and all 211 member associations. In the letter, Infantino indicated his intention to ask the council whether it wished to commission an independent external review of FIFA's governance framework for major strategic initiatives. He also proposed consultations with confederations, member associations, and other stakeholders to enhance decision-making processes.

Infantino's proposed review could potentially examine the roles of the president, bureau, council, and congress, as well as explore avenues for improving transparency and accountability within FIFA. However, this letter has reportedly not appeased several federations that had previously criticized Infantino regarding the investment proposal.

Despite the ongoing controversies, Infantino has affirmed his commitment to leading FIFA and is expected to seek re-election in March 2027. Ceferin, however, urged those in leadership positions within the sport to remember their fundamental duty to serve the game and its stakeholders, implying that a shift in focus towards the wider football community is necessary for genuine recovery and trust-building.

The situation highlights a continuing rift in the governance of international football, with UEFA advocating for a more transparent and inclusive approach, while FIFA navigates the fallout from a plan that threatened to alter its commercial structure significantly. The path to restoring full trust remains a central challenge for both organizations.