Europeans need to do more than walk out in protest at Infantino
Infantino? Are you Blatter in disguise?
The fact that only a handful of delegates walked out of yesterday’s Fifa Congress in protest at Gianni Infantino’s disrespectful behaviour towards them tells you everything you need to know about the strength of the president’s power-base. Europe doesn’t like him, nor do some in North America, but the majority of the 211 member associations of Fifa carry on marching to Infantino’s tune. Until there is a mass revolt, Infantino will remain unchallenged. The Saudis appear more important to him than Europeans.
And where was the European mutiny over the Fifa Club World Cup, a far more damaging Infantino action than keeping them waiting? The Club World Cup affects elite player workload, drains them for the domestic and European season ahead (plus longer term the 2026 World Cup) and causes complications to league schedules. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has softened his initially critical stance on the Club World Cup. Shedloads of Fifa cash smoothed the path for 12 European clubs, of course. It all comes down to money. No surprise, there.
And where were the sustained European protests at the ridiculous expansion of the 2026 World Cup, which strengthened Infantino’s global powerbase with more nations grateful for inclusion in the big show? Ceferin rightly calls Infantino’s latest wheeze, the plan to increase the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, as a “bad idea”. It’s so ridiculous, and logistically challenging, that the proposal will surely be scrapped. It’s still reflective of Infantino expanding and cementing his power-base.
Good people work at Uefa, and in individual national associations, but collectively they need to hold Infantino to account more. The only power standing up properly to Fifa is the Professional Footballers’ Association and FIFPRO, the global players’ union. At least they challenge Fifa in the courts, rather more of a gesture than walking out of a room.