Fifa's plans to sell a share of the World Cup's commercial rights to outside investors represent the latest in a long line of presidential power moves by Gianni Infantino, whose desire to grow both professional football and its revenues has been central to his tenure.
Infantino's expansion agenda from the start
When Gianni Infantino was first elected as president of Fifa in 2016, it was a shock victory that prompted hope for progress after the dark days of Sepp Blatter. Infantino had promised to restore “the image of Fifa” and anticipated that “everyone in the world will applaud us.” He promised accountability and transparency, but the core message to his electorate was to expect a “very significant increase” in funding. There were also mutterings about him spending too much time on private jets.
Back then, Infantino was described as a typical Swiss bureaucrat, but no one would make that comparison now. Leaders within football instead prefer comments such as “he thinks he’s running a nation state.” This description feels particularly pertinent in the week Fifa announced without consultation plans to sell a share of the World Cup’s commercial rights to outside investors.
Key expansion milestones under Infantino
Infantino first proposed expanding the size of the World Cup in 2016 and also raised the possibility of an enhanced Club World Cup. In 2018, he added the idea of a global Nations League and looked to create a new corporate vehicle funded by outside investment, but the plan was ultimately abandoned under pressure. It was confirmed in 2017 that the World Cup would expand to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament. In 2021, it was reported that the 12 Super League clubs had expected Fifa to endorse them in their breakaway. At the end of that year, Infantino announced plans to make the World Cup biennial.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, the pace of activity accelerated. There was the launch of the 32-team Club World Cup and immediate discussion of its expansion, the sudden awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, the spread of the 2030 World Cup across three continents and six host countries, and the possibility that tournament could again be expanded to 64 teams. Mandatory hydration breaks were an idea taken up at the end of last year.
Motivations behind Infantino's drive
A question regularly asked by football’s decision-makers is: what is eating Infantino? The most commonly made argument is patronage; that the money raised from expanded competition and redistributed to member associations ensures a supportive electorate when it comes time to renew his mandate. Infantino has changed the rules on how long a Fifa president can serve since coming to power. But Infantino has already trebled Fifa’s revenues since becoming president, and even with a new rulebook, his all-but-confirmed third full term will be his last.
Reports in the Times suggested that Infantino could become CEO of the new venture once he leaves the presidency, receiving remuneration more befitting of a corporate leader than the boss of an NGO. Fifa has denied that any such discussions have taken place, but even if a new lucrative role does come to pass, it doesn’t seem enough to explain all the shenanigans that have gone before.
Infantino's pursuit of status and power
A third argument is that Infantino is simply in thrall to status and power. The Swiss-Italian kid growing up working-class in affluent Switzerland, bullied for his ginger hair, is now at the top table. He has consistently shown an appetite for the high life and for associating with celebrities. Since becoming Fifa president, his focus has shifted to consorting with world leaders, including Vladimir Putin, the emir of Qatar, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, and US President Donald Trump.
His new status has given Infantino more power, and he has been able to force through changes without effective pushback. But political alliances are often unstable. One senior football figure described the new commercial plan as not Infantino’s ambition at all: “Gianni has got in way over his head with Trump. He [Trump] is now extracting his share of the World Cup rewards.”
