FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited the Dominican Republic for a youth tournament despite warnings that his presence would be disruptive. The trip follows a controversial attempt by the football chief to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
The Dominican Republic visit that angered Concacaf
Gianni Infantino traveled to the Caribbean to attend the Caribbean Football Union's Under-14 Series, an event funded by the FIFA Forward programme. However, his arrival was preceded by a formal request from Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, who also serves as a FIFA vice-president, asking the president to reconsider his attendance. Montagliani argued that the media circus surrounding Infantino would "undermine the technical nature" of the youth development activity.
The tension peaked when a Sky reporter questioned Gianni Infantino on whether he had betrayed the sport and why he refused to resign. Rather than addressing the allegations, the FIFA president responded with a series of jokes about the reporter's baldness, telling the journalist, "You have a nice haircut, thank you so much. See you at the hairdressers." This dismissive tone highlights a growing rift between the FIFA leadership and regional bodies like Concacaf.
The £15 billion World Cup privatization plot
The friction stems from a now-scrapped proposal by Gianni Infantino to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. According to reports, the plan involved the creation of a new company in a deal that could have been valued at approximately £15 billion. The process was reportedly handled by JPMorgan and involved consultations with the Donald Trump administration.
The scale of this ambition suggests a shift toward a more corporate, Americanized model of sports governance. By inviting private equity into the heart of the World Cup, Gianni Infantino sought to decouple the tournament's commercial assets from the traditional structures of FIFA. This move sparked an internal rebellion, as the proposal was viewed by many as a betrayal of the game's non-profit foundations.
A $50 milion-a-year commissioner role after 2031
The financial incentives for the FIFA president were significant. as reported by The Times, the blueprint suggested that Gianni Infantino could tranition into the role of commissioner for the new private company once his FIFA term ends in 2031. Estimates suggest this position could have paid him more than $50 million per year.
The deal's secrecy was maintained through non-disclosure agreements signed by senior FIFA figures and potential investors,including Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner. This level of opacity regarding the president's future earnings has fueled accusations that the privatization plan was designed as much for personal enrichment as for the growth of the sport.
The sacking of Kevin Lamour and claims of 'deception'
The fallout from the privatization attempt has already led to high-level casualties within the organization. Kevin Lamour, the FIFA chief operating officer, was recently sacked after he broke ranks to criticize Gianni Infantino's plan to sell World Cup stakes.. This purge follows a series of crisis talks in Morocco where the FIFA president managed to secure the "full support" of the organization's top executives.
Despite this internal show of unity, the external pressure remains.. Concacaf, UEFA, and the Asian Football Confederation have all accused Gianni Infantino of breaking trust "through deception" regarding the sell-off plan. However, the specific nature of this deception remains unclear, as the source does not detail exactly which promises were broken or which facts were withheld from the confederations during the negotiation process.
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