DUBAI, 22 SEP (DNA) — By the time the 2026 World Cup wrapped on July 19, FIFA’s reputation was at an all-time low, and that of President Gianni Infantino possibly in worse shape. A series of controversies, stretching back to well before the tournament took place in the US, Mexico and Canada, had left the game’s governing body with barely any credibility, and Infantino’s position seemingly untenable.
Politicians, celebrities, former players and coaches, pundits and every food and fashion social media influencer from Dallas to Dubai, had their say. FIFA seemed almost brazen in its efforts to offend. There had been the suspension of a ban that would have seen Cristiano Ronaldo miss the first two matches of the World Cup. A call from the White House had similarly resulted in the scrapping of a one-match ban for US forward Folarin Balogun following a red card he had received against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.
And of course, there was the accusation that FIFA had institutionally favored Argentina on several questionable refereeing decisions as Lionel Messi and company marched to the final. Most egregious of all was Infantino’s proposal to sell a 20 percent commercial stake in future World Cups to venture capitalist Jared Kushner and his firm Thrive Capital.
The football world revolted. UEFA said “a red line” had been crossed and the proposal, the FIFA Forward Enterprise, was eventually scrapped after four days. Surely Infantino could not survive the tsunami of criticism and accusations that followed. But he did. Just days after Rodri had lifted the World Cup trophy after Spain’s 1-0 win over Argentina, and Lamine Yamal’s 3-year-old brother had stolen hearts with his post-match antics, the majority of casual football fans and keyboard warriors had moved on.
The controversies remained, and so did Infantino. Exactly two months on, as we enter the first international period of the 2026-27 season, he is still fighting for his professional life, but what looked like a hopeless situation for him in July is far more nebulous now. The continental federations, including UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Confederation of African Football, had put out strong statements of condemnation after the World Cup. But slowly the hostility toward Infantino has given way to mixed messages.
In the Middle East, Jordan’s scathing accusations of blackmail was counteracted by support from Qatar, Morocco, Egypt and Lebanon. Argentina and many South American nations have thrown their support behind Infantino too. Only Europe is united in its opposition. The question remains, can Infantino stay in his role long enough to run for reelection on March 18, 2027?
With the return of international football, FIFA and its president are again under scrutiny. On Friday, the latest poison arrow came from the German Football Association. “He has to go, no ifs or buts,” DFB Vice-President Hans-Joachim Watzke said, citing the FIFA Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump and Balogun controversies, and then describing the scrapped plan to open the World Cup to private investment as “completely insane.”
DNA News has managed to get advance access to a new billboard that will go up in New York’s Times Square which will once again target Infantino. The image of an isolated Infantino sitting in an empty stand with words “You’ve got no fans,” is a parody of the opening sequence of popular Apple+ television show “Ted Lasso.” Ashish Prashar, a political strategist who operates in the football world and the man behind the campaign to kick Israel out of the game, is the architect of the latest billboard.
“Infantino doesn’t reflect the values of football, nor is he liked by anyone in football and we will continue to call for his immediate removal,” Prashar told DNA News. “The new billboard is one of many activations we’re organizing that range from direct action to protests and even boycotts before the end of this year. Why? Because he’s a threat to the future of the game.” It is not the first time sights have been set on Infantino. On Sept. 4, fans from across the world called for Infantino’s removal by unveiling a billboard in Times Square.
The message demanded that football confederations and federations take immediate steps to hold Infantino accountable and show he has no place in football. There was support from fans in the UK, Egypt and Jordan; supporters of Galatasaray, Fenerbache, Udinese and Napoli; and group representatives Muhammad Al-Mamun (Arsenal fan) and John Agknew (Portland Timbers fan).
An accompanying statement from the fans said: “We are football fans first and foremost and believe we echo the feelings of fans everywhere regarding Infantino and the threat he poses to the future of football.”
The statement also highlighted that Infantino’s actions had not even benefited FIFA and its members, but rather a small group of potential investors. It said that he had “deceived, blackmailed, and threatened FIFA, his team and the wider global football leadership” in order to sell international football to people who had no interest in the game and its fans except as a means to make a profit.
Prashar told DNA News ahead of the international break: “He has made it clear over his tenure as president and especially with his doomed FFE proposal, that he views football as his golden ticket, and that he has zero respect for those who make football what it is: fans, players, managers and most importantly our youth.”
On Friday, a letter addressed to Infantino by two senior football administrators called on FIFA to distribute at least $2.1 billion from its financial reserves (believed to be in the region of $6 billion) to its 211 member associations for football development. Prashar echoes the words of UEFA’s President Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF’s President Victor Montagliani, both FIFA vice presidents.
“FIFA has the cash and resources to invest in football around the world in a progressive way, allowing smaller nations to develop their game. All Infantino is looking for is that payday that puts him in the same financial class as the commissioners of the NFL and NBA,” he said. “However, the money in the game and FIFA belongs to football. Infantino needs to release it now to the federations if he cares about the game. If he doesn’t it just reinforces what we all believe that he’s lining his own pockets at the expense of football.”
Legal experts and football analysts argue that had the FFE been above board, why has the FIFA president fought against transparency and full disclosure to his stakeholders. And furthermore, why would FIFA itself be in position to pay his legal expenses should a case be brought against him, considering the world governing body would essentially be a victim in the circumstances?
The previous billboard campaign had called on fans across the globe to make it clear Infantino “is persona non grata” at their stadiums and to demand that their confederations remove him as soon as possible.
Prashar believes that should Infantino run for reelection against another technocrat — or worse, unopposed — football would be mired in controversy for years to come, and that only fresh candidates would make a change. “The game needs to finally be represented by a former footballer and there is no shortage of talent that could lead FIFA and football to new heights,” he said.
“We have an abundance of talent that played in the golden era of football in the ’90s and early noughts who understand its values and have a deep connection to the fans, to issues and to the development of the game.” Prashar highlighted that several hugely popular former players had real life experiences that range from intervening in a civil wars to advocating for rights of vulnerable members of communities and, crucially, running football clubs and organizations.
“The time of technocrats is over, we need a footballer who the fans, players and coaches, and clubs are inspired and led by. A footballer that every federation will have to back,” he concluded.
It could be the only way that Infantino walks away from football.— DNA
