The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, faces the meeting of the organization’s Council, scheduled for this Thursday in Zurich, in a more favorable position than expected, after going through a crisis that threatened his continuity at the head of world football.
The Italian-Swiss-Lebanese leader will meet with the other 36 members of the Council in the first meeting of the executive body since last April 28. The meeting comes after criticism generated by his project to open the World Cup to private investors, an initiative that he finally abandoned.
UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) came to demand his resignation. However, the opposition has failed to articulate an alternative that seriously threatens the leadership of Infantino, who aspires to be re-elected on March 18, 2027.
One of the main issues of debate will be the distribution of FIFA’s financial resources. The presidents of UEFA and Concacaf, Aleksander Ceferin and Victor Montagliani, demanded in September that the organization allocate at least 10 million dollars to each of its 211 member federations.
The distribution of funds constitutes one of FIFA’s main tools of influence, since each federation has one vote in presidential elections. Since 2016, the institution has allocated significant amounts to associations in countries with very different football structures.
In the absence of an alternative candidacy, Infantino’s critics could focus their efforts on modifying the organization’s governance. UEFA has proposed strengthening the powers of the Council and expanding the participation of other football actors, including clubs.
The meeting will also address the first edition of the Women’s Club World Cup, scheduled for early 2028 in the United States, and the controversial FIFA Peace Prize, whose award to Donald Trump has generated criticism for the lack of clarity about its criteria.
Despite the controversies, Infantino maintains a solid position within the organization and remains well positioned ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.
