The Saudi Arabian Football Federation, during its meeting held today, Thursday, expressed its appreciation for the joint statement issued by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Matias Grafström. The statement acknowledged the mistake and confirmed that the "FIFA Development Initiative" proposal would not proceed, alongside a commitment to review the procedures related to this proposal.
The Saudi Federation valued the message's full commitment to learning from what occurred, moving forward in developing procedures and communication mechanisms, strengthening governance principles, and addressing future challenges with a spirit of unity and transparency.
The Saudi Federation affirmed that translating these commitments into practical steps represents a crucial foundation for enhancing trust, especially given the differing viewpoints within the international football system. This underscores the importance of expanding direct and constructive dialogue among all parties seeking to purposefully develop the global football journey.
It further noted that continuing the development of football requires unity within its international system, calling for enhanced dialogue and communication between FIFA, continental federations, and national associations to help bridge differing perspectives. It emphasized that the interests of football, its players, and its fans must remain the top priority.
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The Saudi Federation reiterated its support and appreciation for the continuous efforts made by Infantino over nearly a decade to strengthen the unity of the football family, continue developing the game, foster its growth, and expand its global presence, thereby serving the interests of all stakeholders and meeting the aspirations of players and fans worldwide.
At the same time, it highlighted the brilliant successes achieved in the last three editions of the World Cup, which embodied the work of the international football system with a unified spirit.
