New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- FIFA has apologised to its member associations for the handling of its now-withdrawn proposal to sell commercial rights linked to the World Cup, as the organisation's leadership reiterated its backing for president Gianni Infantino during a crisis meeting in Morocco on Wednesday.

The plan, which included selling a 20% stake in a newly created commercial rights company to private investors in a deal reportedly valued at around $4.2 billion, sparked strong opposition and was officially scrapped last Friday.

Infantino faced sharp criticism over the proposal, including from within FIFA, prompting speculation about his prospects of securing another term as president in the election scheduled for next March.

"Following a...