Infantino under fire as plan for $30 million FFE presidency fuels anger
A proposed commercial vehicle tied to the World Cup would have paid its president $30 million a year, reigniting calls for Infantino to go.
Gianni Infantino faces a fresh crisis after revelations about a commercial plan tied to the 2026 World Cup showed how far the FIFA leadership was willing to go to monetise major competitions. Documents and reports outline a proposal to create a new commercial vehicle — FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) — whose president would receive an annual salary of $30 million plus potential bonuses, a role Infantino himself intended to occupy.
The proposal included blunt comments about the financial upside. According to those briefed on the idea, Infantino told a colleague: "After 2031, we can make serious money here." When asked if his current multi-million dollar salary was not enough, the president reportedly replied: "No, I'm talking about serious money."
Plans called for a high‑profile announcement in the run-up to the World Cup final at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York, where Infantino hoped to unveil the proposal to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors. Among the potential partners mentioned was Joshua Kushner — brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son‑in‑law — a figure already controversial in the region after an attempted resort development in Albania.
Backlash and political fallout
Reports say that Infantino hosted an event at Trump Tower that same week where he described the 2026 World Cup as "the greatest human, social and cultural event mankind has ever seen," even as many of his moves drew heavy criticism. His grip on power looked unassailable for a time, and elections scheduled for March 2027 were widely expected to be a formality thanks to backing from federations in Africa and Asia, which supported his expansion agenda.
But the proposal triggered a severe backlash. UEFA publicly denounced what it called a "shameful deal behind closed doors" and has demanded Infantino's departure, arguing that FIFA's leadership had lost the trust of many in the football family. FIFA subsequently paused the FFE project, and reports suggest CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is seriously considering a challenge for the presidency.
Infantino still retains significant support among alliances in the Global South, and that network could keep him in office. Yet the rupture with UEFA is decisive: without Europe’s governing body and its influence, the future of FIFA’s flagship tournament would be difficult to sustain.
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