Infantino Fights for FIFA Future Amid Criticism
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, is working to secure his position following recent criticism and a controversial proposal. He recently held discussions with senior officials in Rabat, Morocco, and is scheduled to travel to Colombia.
Infantino’s activities in Africa and South America follow a period of scrutiny over FIFA’s plans to sell a portion of the World Cup’s commercial rights. These confederations, including the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Conmebol, have been identified as key supporters of Infantino.
Infantino’s Efforts to Galvanize Support
Infantino’s visit to Morocco included attending Throne Day celebrations marking the 27th anniversary of King Mohammed VI’s accession. He also appeared at a Women’s African Cup of Nations match in Rabat, accompanied by Mattias Grafström, FIFA’s secretary general.
Grafström had previously described the FIFA Forward Enterprise as a “sad and reproachable series of events” in an email to the organization’s staff. Despite this, Grafström was present at the meeting in Rabat, which also included Emilio García Silvero, FIFA’s chief legal officer.
Morocco is seen as strategically important for Infantino in gathering support from the Middle East, a region that could be crucial for his re-election in March. Unlike CAF and Conmebol, the Asian Football Confederation does not vote as a unified bloc, requiring Infantino to lobby individual countries for their backing.
Reports emerged that Infantino offered Morocco a guarantee to host the 2030 World Cup final, which they are set to co-host with Spain and Portugal, in exchange for their lobbying efforts. However, FIFA has denied these claims, stating that such assertions are “false and misleading” and that a decision will be made by FIFA at a later time.
Criticism from Soccer Figures
Amid these developments, soccer legend Luis Figo has publicly called for Infantino’s departure. Figo, who won four La Liga titles, a Champions League trophy, and the Ballon d’Or during his career, criticized Infantino’s conduct as “the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed.”
Figo argued that Infantino’s attempts to implement significant changes to enrich himself and his associates make him a “relic of the game’s past.” He stated that the solution to FIFA’s problems is simply: “Infantino must go.”
The controversy stems from FIFA’s proposal to establish a separate entity, involving private investors, to manage the commercial and operational rights of the World Cup. This plan faced considerable backlash from fans and various soccer governing bodies, including UEFA, which asserted that the “soul and governance of football are not assets to trade.”
The widespread opposition led Infantino to withdraw the proposal. Even Carlos Cordeiro, one of Infantino’s senior advisers, resigned in protest. Figo further criticized the plan as “not a good idea,” questioning its transparency regarding the returns sought by private equity and the long-term implications of selling off ownership of the World Cup.
While European, Asian, and North and Central American governing bodies criticized the proposal, CAF has not yet taken a stance. Several important African soccer administrators have expressed support for Infantino, as African soccer is reportedly more reliant on FIFA’s financial distributions compared to other continents. Infantino is scheduled to attend the inauguration of Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, in Cali.
Source: theguardian.com
