New approach: The Swiss will reappear this Wednesday in Rabat

Wednesday, August 12th could be a key date to define the future of Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA who went from euphoria and smiles after the 2026 World Cup to the delicate balance of holding onto his position following the failed attempt to create a commercial entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The project proposed setting up a company to manage FIFA's most valuable commercial assets (the World Cup, the Club World Cup, and other competitions) and selling 20 percent of that company in an operation valued at around $20 billion.

Power seeks more power, and the excessive ambition of the 56-year-old Swiss-Italian was the final straw that exposed a rebellion that had undoubtedly been quietly brewing for some time. Infantino's main opponents today are Aleksander Ceferin, the UEFA boss, and Nasser Al Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint Germain and the European Club Football Association (EFC), an entity that brings together over 800 teams. Both will coincide in Salzburg for the UEFA Super Cup final between PSG and Aston Villa, where they could define moves, including a possible boycott of the 2029 Club World Cup.

The UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin (left) and the PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi. Photo: EFE/Alejandro García

The potential summit in Austria was revealed by the British media TalkSport. The reported information aligns with what is already known: Ceferin wants Infantino out of FIFA's leadership. But to achieve this, he needs to gather support. And that, in politics and football circles, depends on lobbying capacity and what one has to offer.

It is presumed that the 55 federations that make up UEFA are united against Infantino. However, so far, only Finland, Wales, Serbia, Sweden, and Romania have officially communicated, through statements or social media posts, their intention to seek a change in FIFA's leadership. It is expected that heavyweight actors, such as Germany and England, will join in the coming days.

So, what could happen in Austria is that Ceferin asks for even greater support from his friend Al Khelaifi. What would that support imply? That some of the over 800 European clubs affiliated with EFC start publicly speaking out against Infantino.

A possible scenario being considered is that European teams might refuse to participate in the 2029 Club World Cup, which has yet to have a confirmed date and venue. And there is a significant detail: FIFA has not yet paid the clubs the direct payments or those related to the solidarity mechanism for the 2025 edition. Infantino's aides deflect any possibility of a boycott by stating, "The tournament has not been presented yet."

The leaders aiming to oust Gianni have two paths: wait for FIFA's regular Congress, scheduled for March 2027 in Morocco, a country close to the current president, or push for an extraordinary Congress before that. To convene it, they need the support of at least 43 of the 211 affiliated federations or half of the 37 FIFA Council members, which include AFA President Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia. However, removing Infantino would then require gathering the majority of votes at that Congress. The recent joint opposition from UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Confederation to the privatization project showed that the president no longer has the unanimous support he once had, although he still retains significant allies like Morocco, Qatar, Kuwait, and Lebanon.

The outlook, therefore, is not encouraging for Infantino. Is it true that Canadian Victor Montagliani, Concacaf President, is the most consensual candidate to take over FIFA's presidency? Or could former Norwegian footballer Lise Klaveness, supported by ex-president Joseph Blatter, start gaining ground? And a question arises: where does Conmebol and Claudio Tapia stand under this situation?

Infantino is backed into a corner and no longer smiles as during the World Cup. Therefore, a week could be enough for novelties to emerge from Austria that may change the political landscape of global football.

A claim worth millions of dollars and an alleged unfulfilled promise at the 2026 World Cup. Photo: Annabelle Gordon/UPI/Bloomberg

Various US cities that were host venues for the 2026 World Cup are demanding millions of dollars that, they claim, FIFA promised them, as reported by The Athletic on Tuesday. Four executives from host cities, speaking anonymously to the outlet, stated that FIFA officials assured each city of receiving a million dollars in 'legacy' funds to build football-related infrastructure and support 'social projects.'

The Athletic reported that officials from these cities requested payments after FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced similar contributions for the host cities of the 2025 Club World Cup in the US.

"According to four executives from the organizing committees of host cities in the US, who asked to remain anonymous to protect their relationships, FIFA leadership repeatedly assured the cities they would receive the same one million dollar contribution for legacy projects. Although the organization never made a public announcement about it," The Athletic wrote.

"The four executives said this promise was verbally made by senior FIFA management and reiterated to the cities in various meetings, but the money has not been disbursed, so several cities are now seeking updates from FIFA staff on those payments."

Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Miami, Boston, and New York/New Jersey were among the host cities of the World Cup held across the US, Canada, and Mexico.

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Maximiliano Uria
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Related/tags: FIFA, Gianni Infantino, Joseph Blatter, Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia

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