Gianni Infantino, the FIFA President, who took office a decade ago after a coup against Sepp Blatter, might soon be out. He looks like someone caught stealing.
The 2026 World Cup was a big hit. It also made a lot of money, with FIFA earning a record revenue between $13 billion and $15 billion. Originally, the World Cup had thirteen teams but has grown to 48 teams and 104 matches. This led to lots of ticket sales. In 2026, broadcasting rights alone brought in about $4.2 billion. Sponsorship and hospitality added even more.
Yes, FIFA's costs increased too. For instance, $871 million was set aside for the teams, which included a base prize of $655 million. The champions, Spain, received $51 million; the runners-up got $34 million; and third place took home $30 million. Also, holding the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada raised logistical costs. But overall, it was a very successful event.
While the world was celebrating, Infantino's team decided to take advantage of the excitement by pushing a privatization plan.
They created a commercial branch called FIFA Forward Enterprise without consulting the regional bodies. This was meant to sell 20-30 percent of World Cup commercial rights to private investors, led by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Trump’s son-in-law. Infantino said the goal was to raise at least $20 billion.
In reality, Infantino's team was trying to commercialize football's essence, which unites people. He even dangled a $40 million reward for every association that supported his plans, promising an advance of $30 million to each federation by January 1, 2027.
But the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which includes 55 of FIFA's 211 members, quickly rejected the plan. UEFA also runs the world's richest league.
UEFA's response was firm. They said they would boycott FIFA if Infantino moved forward with his greedy plans. This boycott could split FIFA, with Europe possibly holding a separate World Cup with its allies. The North American confederation, CONCACAF, also stood with UEFA against the FIFA plan.
UEFA called the attempt to privatize the World Cup unacceptable. They stated, "UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every national football association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments, and everyone who cares about the future of the game. The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade, especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially."
To show they meant business, UEFA sent FIFA a letter to preserve all evidence, hinting it could lead to a lawsuit.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also supported UEFA and CONCACAF, calling Infantino's actions “totally unacceptable.” However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has not taken a clear stance, leaving the door open, which might suggest they back the plan.
Things started falling apart for Infantino. Some FIFA officials distanced themselves from the plan. FIFA’s head of global football development, Arsene Wenger, said he was “not aware” of Infantino's move.
In a sign of defeat, Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström released a joint statement after a meeting in Rabat, Morocco. They admitted, “We acknowledge mistakes were made in the process of the proposed establishment of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). It was certainly not the intention for the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations to feel excluded from the process and it should have been handled differently.” They added, “The proposal is now off the table. 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.”
But UEFA was not satisfied. They said although Infantino has stepped back, this “must not be the end of the story. The proposal has gone. The task of rebuilding trust in FIFA has only just begun.”
This suggested that Infantino should go. The AFC also insisted that FIFA's future actions must involve proper consultation. This signals a need for a new era at FIFA.
Infantino's exit could happen in a few ways. One option is impeachment, requiring at least 41 member associations to call for an extraordinary congress to pass a motion.
Another option is to take his case to the FIFA Independent Ethics Committee, which can remove a FIFA president, like they did with Sepp Blatter.
Infantino also faces an ethics issue for taking orders from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump called him to get the red card issued to USA striker Folarin Balogun overturned. Balogun was supposed to miss the last-16 match against Belgium after getting a red card. Following Trump's call, FIFA lifted the ban, allowing Balogun to play against Belgium. The USA lost 4-1 on July 6.
Infantino has also been accused of removing two chairmen and nearly all members of the Ethics Committee, suggesting he wanted to avoid corruption investigations. He also influenced Ahmad Ahmad's candidacy as CAF president.
Another way to replace Infantino is to wait for the 77th FIFA Congress on March 18, 2027, in Rabat. At this meeting, he could be voted out. FIFA started on May 21, 1904, and the first World Cup was in 1930, where Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2. Right now, Infantino poses a risk to world football.
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