How do things stand? Following this week’s executive committee meeting, the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) eventually released a statement applauding Fifa for the “progress achieved over the last decade”. All six continental bodies have now responded to the controversy surrounding the World Cup commercial deal, which has deeply divided international football. On the central question […]
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Gianni Infantino’s critics are joining forces to develop a new model for governing global football, aiming to replace what they see as a patronage-based structure introduced after he succeeded Sepp Blatter as president a decade ago. Infantino has not responded to repeated demands from Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation for an independent examination […]
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Football Australia has added its voice to mounting international pressure on Fifa president Gianni Infantino, demanding a “clear and credible response” to the turmoil affecting the global game. However, the organisation did not directly seek Infantino’s resignation. In a three-paragraph statement released on Tuesday, it supported the Asian Football Confederation shortly after that body issued […]
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US president Donald Trump has cautioned that replacing Gianni Infantino as leader of world football’s governing organisation would be a “serious error”. Infantino has faced growing criticism after his unsuccessful proposal to offer private investors shares in the men’s World Cup. Writing on his Truth Social platform early Tuesday, Trump argued that removing the Fifa […]
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Somali referee Omar Artan has addressed the public for the first time after being denied entry to the United States, which prevented him from officiating at the World Cup. He also expressed his pride ahead of Wednesday’s Super Cup clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa. Uefa appointed the 34-year-old to the fixture only days […]
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In today’s podcast: it has been a turbulent week for the World Cup, beginning with an attempt to promote the tournament on Monday, followed by boycott threats on Tuesday, a dramatic reversal on Wednesday, and repeated denials throughout the rest of the week. Max and the panel examine the latest Fifa controversy and consider whether […]
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Javier Tebas believes Gianni Infantino can no longer remain Fifa president, accusing him of “undermining the fundamental character of football” and demanding major changes within the sport’s governing structure. The La Liga president, a persistent and outspoken opponent of the current Fifa leadership, declared that “Infantino’s period in charge has reached its end” and argued […]
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Friday 7 August Support for Infantino begins to emerge, with Mexico and Argentina joining Africa’s football governing body in backing him. However, opposition also grows as Norway’s football association demands his resignation and files a new ethics complaint covering several issues, including alleged violations of Fifa’s rules on political neutrality. Infantino then travels to Colombia […]
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There are long periods when history appears motionless, followed by brief moments when years of change unfold at once and those in power suddenly become vulnerable. Less than two weeks ago, Gianni Infantino was celebrating on Instagram and condemning critics “behind their pens and papers, behind their screens spreading hate and false rumours” for questioning […]
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“How did you become bankrupt?” one character asks another in Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises. “Little by little, and then all at once,” is the answer. Fifa president Gianni Infantino now appears to be undergoing a comparable collapse in his authority. Since assuming control of football’s global governing organisation in 2016, Mr Infantino […]
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