Kigali: Gianni Infantino was re-elected as FIFA president until 2027 after standing unopposed at soccer’s world governing body’s congress on Thursday.
The 52-year-old Swiss lawyer, who replaced disgraced Sepp Blatter in 2016, was nominated for a third term by acclamation by delegates from the 211 member federations, just as he was four years ago.
“To all those who love me, and I know there are many, and to those who hate me, I know there are only a few: I love you all. Yes,” Infantino told delegates in the Rwandan capital, where there was no voting system. Register the number of dissenting voices.
While FIFA rules currently limit a president to a maximum term of three to four years, Infantino has already set the stage for a stay until 2031, announcing in December that the first three years of his presidency would be completed. Not counted as period.
Infantino, who fiercely defended Qatar’s hosting of last year’s World Cup as the Gulf state drew attention for its treatment of migrant workers, women and the LGBTQ community, said the men’s and women’s World Cups Has overseen the expansion of the Cup and a huge increase in FIFA’s revenue.
The president of the Norwegian Football Federation, Lise Clevens, said she would not support Infantino and would discuss in Congress “FIFA’s obligations to remedy human rights violations” in relation to the Qatar World Cup and future tournaments. proposed.
However, Infantino’s mainly European-based opponents have been unable to produce a candidate to stand up to the man who was once Michel Platini’s number two at UEFA.
Expanded World Cup
“There is a lot to look forward to,” Infantino said as he reflected on the next four years and declared that the 2026 World Cup, which will be the first 48-team edition, will be “the most inclusive World Cup ever”.
FIFA announced on Tuesday that the tournament in North America will feature 104 matches, a huge increase from 64 at the most recent World Cup, as it begins with 12 groups of four teams.
The Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand later this year will feature 32 teams for the first time, up from 24 at the last edition in 2019.
Infantino is also planning to introduce a new, expanded Club World Cup to be played every four years starting in 2025 and featuring 32 teams.
“We need more competitions around the world, not fewer,” he told delegates at the 73rd FIFA Congress.
Infantino also announced projected revenue of $11 billion over the four years to 2026, up from $7.5 billion in the previous four-year period ending in 2022.
But he said the figure did not include revenue from the Club World Cup, suggesting the final amount generated would be even higher.
Those improved financial results allow FIFA to continue to increase the amount of money it provides in subsidies to federations, which in turn will help ensure that many of them continue to support Infantino. will
To make soccer “truly global,” as Infantino calls it, at a time when Europe’s top clubs are able to amass talent and wealth, FIFA distributes the money evenly.
And so Trinidad and Tobago and Papua New Guinea get the same amount as Brazil, and each has one vote in Congress.
As long as FIFA presidents support the 35 Central American countries, including several Caribbean islands, or the 54 African federations, they need not worry about upsetting the powerful European nations.
That’s why the failed two-year World Cup plan, or the decision to ban rainbow-themed “One Love” arms promoting LGBTQ rights at the World Cup in Qatar, prompted Infantino to look for a new term. Not stopped from putting.
Yet the fracture in football shows no sign of healing as long as Infantino’s expansion plans continue.
For example, the World Leagues Forum, which brings together 44 leagues worldwide, has complained that FIFA did not consult them before announcing plans for a new Club World Cup, which it described as “already overloaded”. “Shoes will be tied in the calendar.
