FIFA defends Infantino amid mounting pressure over personal allegations and investment crisis

FIFA defends Infantino amid mounting pressure over personal allegations and investment crisis

FIFA issued a strongly worded statement on Saturday condemning what it described as a coordinated campaign to undermine the organisation and its president Gianni Infantino, as the Italian-Swiss lawyer faces intensifying scrutiny over both personal conduct allegations and a controversial investment plan.

The world football governing body's defence comes as Infantino confronts calls to resign and fresh allegations published Friday by a British newspaper concerning his tenure at European football's governing body UEFA, where he served as secretary general from 2009 to 2016.

Personal allegations emerge

According to The Telegraph, Infantino used his influence at UEFA to secure a promotion for an employee with whom he was in an intimate relationship. The newspaper reported that the same employee received a six-figure departure payment along with approximately £45,000 ($60,700) in tuition fees for a business school course.

When contacted by AFP, UEFA acknowledged that a departure payment was made to the individual in question at that time, coupled with the payment of fees for an MBA course at a local business school. Before joining UEFA in 2000, Infantino had worked as legal counsel and general secretary for the International Centre for Sports Studies in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, after earning a law degree from the University of Fribourg.

FIFA pushes back against criticism

In its statement on social media, FIFA denounced recent reporting that included unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims concerning FIFA and its president. The organisation insisted it welcomes legitimate scrutiny but warned that scrutiny is not a licence to distort facts, amplify unsubstantiated allegations or manufacture distractions designed to undermine progress.

FIFA vowed to challenge inaccurate or misleading reporting directly and vigorously. The statement also addressed the upcoming presidential election scheduled for March 18, 2027 in Rabat, Morocco, declaring FIFA will not support, facilitate or tolerate any process concerning the election that is inconsistent with its statutes, democratic procedures and established governance framework.

Infantino, who was first elected FIFA president on February 26, 2016, defeating Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa with 115 votes to 88 in the second round, has since been re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023. The upcoming election represents his first contested re-election since taking office. Each of FIFA's 211 member associations holds one vote, with a two-thirds majority required in the first round or a simple majority in subsequent rounds to win.

Investment plan controversy deepens

The personal allegations compound an already serious crisis triggered by Infantino's now-abandoned plan to open the World Cup to private investors. The proposal sought to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling approximately 20 percent of a new commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise, with the entity valued at $20 billion and Joshua Kushner's Thrive Capital expected to lead the investor group.

UEFA, which represents 55 member associations and controls lucrative leagues including the English Premier League, Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A, has maintained its threat to boycott FIFA competitions despite the withdrawal of the investment plan. The European body voted unanimously last Thursday to withdraw from all FIFA events, stating that its conditions for ending the boycott include not only withdrawal of the investment proposal but also assurances that such attempts would never be made again.

The crisis intensified Friday with the resignation of Infantino's senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro, who called the investment plan a bad deal for football. The departure of Cordeiro, handpicked by Infantino, signals growing internal dissent within FIFA leadership.

The controversy centres on the expanded 48-team World Cup format introduced in 2026, up from the traditional 32 teams. FIFA expects to generate $15 billion in revenue from the tournament, underscoring the enormous financial stakes involved in the dispute.

FIFA's statement concluded by suggesting that those who do not have the support of FIFA's member associations should not seek to achieve through allegation, insinuation or misinformation what they cannot achieve through FIFA's established democratic processes. Infantino, who also serves on the International Olympic Committee following his election in January 2020, faces a critical test of his leadership as he navigates both the personal allegations and the institutional crisis ahead of next year's election.