The backlash for Gianni Infantino is not going away quietly. The FIFA president is continuing to face backlash for his proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
The plans were quickly scrapped following a revealing report from the Times’ Martyn Ziegler, but the damage to Infantino’s reputation, which already took a hit at the 2026 World Cup, had already been done.
Arsene Wenger – someone who was thought to be in the 56-year-old’s inner circle – spoke out against the plans earlier this week and the FIFA president has since also held a crisis meeting in Morocco.
“The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity.”
It’s there that he received the support of FIFA and refused to walk away from his position. However, the reality is that he does not face that same support from several nations.
First nation officially confirms they will not vote for Gianni Infantino
The aftermath of scrapped World Cup plans hasn’t been the only mess that Infantino has had to clear up. Jordan FA’s president Prince Ali bin Hussein also accused FIFA of not paying the country’s prize money for the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar last December.
He claimed the money, earned after Jordan reached the final, was yet to be paid despite FIFA bragging “about how many billions they have in reserve”.
That situation has now been resolved. Once again, though, the damage is done. Hussein confirmed in a statement in X that the money has been received but Jordan will not be voting for Infantino at FIFA’s next election.
“My clear position concerning the leadership of FIFA: my FA and I will not endorse president Infantino, nor will we vote for him.”
Hussein’s full statement read: “Thank you to the FIFA administration for suddenly this morning delivering what was owed to our players and coaching staff, for the Jordan National team’s accession to the final of the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar last December.
“This was funding that should have been received 8 months ago.
“While this is a good development for our players, it does not change the serious concerns we in the football world have regarding the FIFA leadership, nor does it change what our FAs have been subjected to in the past.
“It is symptomatic of those exact difficulties that we all face, and that are usually linked to the FIFA presidential elections. And it does not change my clear position concerning the leadership of FIFA: my FA and I will not endorse president Infantino, nor will we vote for him.”
Gianni Infantino aplogises for ‘mistakes’
It’s now all about damage control for the FIFA president, who has aplogised in a letter about his ‘mistakes’. The FIFA president addressed his failed proposal in an official statement.
Amid the apology also came a defiant statement alongside Mattias Grafstom, which read: “With the project withdrawn, FIFA will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process and will take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard its name and reputation.”
So, it seems that Infantino is remaining stubborn, FIFA are standing by their man and support ahead of the next presidency is continuing to fall. This is not something likely to go away anytime soon.
