FIFA President Gianni Infantino responded to questions about his future and a recently abandoned plan to sell stakes in the World Cup by making lighthearted remarks about his appearance.
When approached by a Sky News reporter asking if he had betrayed football and why he would not resign, Infantino replied, "You have a nice haircut, thank you so much. See you at the hairdressers." Both Infantino and the reporter are bald.
Weeks after the clandestine plot to sell off World Cup stakes was revealed, Infantino is facing pressure to step down. The controversial plan, which would have involved selling parts of the World Cup to private investors and forming a new company in a deal potentially worth around £15 billion, was scrapped after significant backlash. The Times reported that Infantino could have become a highly lucrative commissioner of this new company after his FIFA role ends in 2031, with estimates suggesting a salary exceeding $50 million annually.
Senior FIFA figures and potential investors, including Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, had reportedly discussed the blueprint, with non-disclosure agreements signed. Bank JPMorgan was said to be handling the process, and the Donald Trump administration was reportedly consulted.
Following the leak of these plans, Infantino summoned executives to crisis talks in Morocco. Despite the proposal's subsequent withdrawal due to widespread opposition, including internal dissent within FIFA, UEFA and CONCACAF have called for Infantino's resignation. UEFA has declared a lack of confidence in the FIFA president, with reports suggesting they would boycott all FIFA tournaments until he steps down.
Further pressure mounted as Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin Hussein accused Infantino of blackmail, marking the first Asian nation's opposition. Jordan's stance could be significant, as 106 member associations are needed to depose the FIFA president. Portuguese football legend Luis Figo also penned a strong column for Daily Mail Sport, criticizing the aborted World Cup sell-off as "the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed" and a "grubby, underhand plot."
Figo, who initially backed Infantino in 2015, labeled the FIFA president a "relic who should have no part in football's future," citing a "litany of abuses." He accused Infantino of debasing the office of FIFA President and attempting to enrich himself at the expense of the sport.
