Monaco could become the setting for high-level discussions on the future governance of world football after the Secretary General of the Council of Europe renewed his invitation to FIFA President Gianni Infantino to meet in the Principality this November…
Alain Berset has proposed that Infantino attend the 19th Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport, to be held in Monaco on 3 and 4 November, describing the gathering as a “third half” aimed at building an integrity framework for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The invitation comes at a particularly significant moment for world football. FIFA is facing mounting opposition over plans to create a commercial subsidiary that would allow minority private investment in its flagship competitions, including the World Cup.
UEFA has warned it could boycott future FIFA competitions if the proposals proceed, while Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation have also expressed strong reservations. On Friday, FIFA defended the initiative, insisting that “nobody is selling football” and that the consultation process will continue.
Against that backdrop, Berset has positioned Monaco as a venue for dialogue rather than confrontation. The Council of Europe has long championed integrity, transparency and good governance in sport, and the November conference is expected to bring together ministers responsible for sport from across the continent.
Whether Infantino accepts the invitation remains to be seen, but if he does, Monaco would find itself hosting discussions at the centre of one of football’s most consequential governance debates in recent years.
Image: Janosch Jost