FIFA Denies Funding PR Campaign for President Infantino, Leaked Emails Show Otherwise

FIFA has denied paying for a public relations campaign intended to support its president, Gianni Infantino, and his upcoming re-election bid. However, leaked emails reviewed by The Post suggest the opposite, showing that the marketing firm Monks, hired by FIFA, launched a global media blitz to rehabilitate Infantino's image shortly after the organization issued a public denial. The emails indicate the firm was working to counter criticism and promote Infantino's political survival.

A FIFA spokesperson stated that it was "demonstrably false to link a supplier contract with the FIFA presidential election" in March and refused to provide a copy of the agreement, citing corporate secrecy. This stance was contradicted by an email pitch sent to international journalists by Sarah Jackson of Monks. The pitch explicitly framed Infantino's recent travel as being related to "attention increasingly turning towards the 2027 FIFA presidential election."

The public relations firm provided reporters with a "compiled series of comments" from Caribbean football leaders, which Jackson pitched as material to counter recent criticism from CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani. The pitch aimed to leverage these comments to address the "wider debate around FIFA’s leadership" as the 2027 election approaches.

One leaked section highlighted regional presidents in the Caribbean speaking out about "their support for Infantino and, in particular, the impact they say increased FIFA investment has had on (soccer) in their countries." The pitch appeared to present these endorsements as a direct result of FIFA's financial support.

Michael Ricketts, president of the Jamaica Football Federation, was quoted praising Infantino, stating that FIFA's financial support had significantly improved under his leadership compared to previous times. Avanell Morton, president of the British Virgin Islands FA, also expressed strong support for Infantino's performance.

Infantino's travel to the Caribbean followed a stay at the St. Regis hotel in Manhattan, with costs for suites exceeding $11,000 per night. A FIFA insider suggested that Infantino does not typically pay for such expenses himself.

Infantino, who was first elected FIFA President in February 2016, is seeking a potential fourth term that would run from 2027 to 2031. This situation arises amid ongoing scrutiny of FIFA's finances and leadership. UEFA has also been involved, requesting court permission to obtain documents and depositions from Josh Kushner and his firm Thrive Capital, a move FIFA has criticized as "harassment."

Previously, The Post reported in July that FIFA had abandoned a $20 billion plan to sell a stake in its commercial assets to Thrive Capital, a fund managed by the brother-in-law of former White House advisor Jared Kushner. UEFA is reportedly seeking evidence for a potential criminal case in Switzerland related to these matters.