Infantino apologized: "Nothing has changed"

The International Football Federation's (Fifa) board meeting in Zurich on Thursday was the first since Gianni Infantino's now scrapped plans to sell off shares of the World Cup to private investors via a company that would go by the name Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).

The Swiss apologized for not - as is customary - raising his business plan with the Fifa board before it became official in late summer.

Despite that, European football elites continue to lack confidence in Infantino as chairman.

- One of the disappointments is that we did not get an answer to any of what we had specifically requested - for example, to get the documents from the FFE, says the English Debbie Hewitt, one of several vice-chairmen of Fifa, according to the BBC.

- I asked the question "why not?", and we were asked to submit those questions in writing.

Hewitt believes Infantino must answer these questions.

- And if he doesn't do it now, he is not fit to be Fifa's chairman, and that was brought up at the meeting.

The continental confederations in Europe, Asia, North and Central America and the Caribbean want to see a new leadership, but no rival candidate has yet been presented to the Fifa congress in Morocco in March.

- I have no new information that makes me feel differently, except that we have a chairman who is remorseful, says Hewitt.

German football chairman Bernd Neuendorf says Fifa must be reformed.

- I am clear that this is not possible with Gianni as the highest leader in Fifa. We have to do a complete reboot. We must also have a political restart of those who represent Fifa, says Neuendorf according to Norwegian NRK.

The Fifa boss also received questions about the criticized peace prize that he instituted last fall and in December awarded to US President Donald Trump. Like the scandal surrounding American attacking star Florian Balogun's overturned suspension in the middle of the World Cup.

At the same time, Infantino has continued support in the football world - including in Africa, which has 54 member associations in Fifa.

- I am sure that Gianni Infantino is the right chairman. The majority wish he stays, says Ahmed Yahya, football chairman in Mauritania and one of 37 members of the Fifa board, according to NRK.