Infantino’s World Cup sell-off antics just another embarrassment endorsed by his loyal subjects
FIFA leader will stand tall above criticism and opposition despite UEFA’s disgust
Cathal Dervan, Editor
First the good news. Gianni Infantino wants to run for President of FIFA for another four years from 2027. Now the bad news. Gianni Infantino wants to run for another four years as President of FIFA.
Before you go running to your local national football governing body to insist they vote against this buffoon, don’t bother. They won’t upset their backers and they can’t afford to after Wednesday’s pledge by football’s Mr Nasty to give each federation over €35million as their share of a proposed FIFA sell-off to private investors.
That €35million offer to support the FIFA Forward Enterprise - a proposal to bring together the sale of FIFA’s commercial rights including broadcasting, ticketing, sponsorship and licensing revenues - would go a long way to paying off the FAI’s near €40million debt. Just think about that for a second.
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Happy days
Then his vulgar offer was followed by a threat from Infantino of less funding for grassroots and development projects for any national associations who don’t vote this proposal through by September 19th. That’s the dissidents told. Or most of them.
Naturally the offer was met with disgust by UEFA who immediately called an emergency meeting of its members, including the FAI, and claimed Infantino had crossed a line this time.
There’s already talk of UEFA leading a revolt against Infantino and his disgusting attempts to turn world football into his own personal fiefdom. Even new British PM Andy Burnham got in on the act when he declared on X yesterday: “Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine.”
Nice words from the Labour man. Strong words that will be applauded in many European corridors of power. But useless words. There’s literally no point standing against Infantino.
The man who spent the build-up to the World Cup and the summer chasing Donald Trump’s affirmation like Fred running after Wilma in the Flintstones already has enough support from the Americas, Asia and Africa to guarantee his re-election.
So opinions on this side of the world won’t count for anything when the Sepp Blatter replacement - or clone if you like - goes to the ballot box next year with his victory already guaranteed.
We see this in politics all the time. It’s what happens when you throw enough money at your constituents to ensure they see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
As the excellent Martyn Ziegler reported recently in The Times, FIFA’s cash distributions to its 211 member associations have risen from $2million per annum in 2016 to $8million, over a four-year cycle. Now they’re all being offered a €35million bonus.
That loot - and the previous increase under Infantino’s watch - explains why those in power in three of the five continents have already decided that the status quo is just fine for another four years from 2027.
So they will continue to turn a blind eye to the despicable and ongoing behaviours of their president.
As long as Infantino and his FIFA crew keep signing the cheques - and the cheques get bigger and bigger - the emperor can continue to wear no clothes and wrap himself in the nakedness of ambition.
Crown Prince of World Football? Clown Prince is more like it.
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