FIFA's $11 Billion Cash Grab: Infantino's "Servile" Reign and the World Cup's Dark Money Machine
Gianni Infantino has turned FIFA into a money-printing machine, raking in a record $13 billion while cozying up to dictators, jacking up ticket prices by 74%, and telling fans to "chill" when they can't even enter the country.
The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, has spent a decade transforming the world football organization into a machine for generating money and serving powerful leaders, according to experts who have studied him. Critics describe him as "servile and dangerous" [173018]. Since taking office in 2016, Infantino has focused on maximizing revenue. FIFA, a non-profit organization, is expected to earn 11.236 billion euros in the current four-year cycle, a 73% increase from the previous cycle [173018].
The World Cup is the main source of this income. Ticket prices have risen sharply. A group-stage match is now 47% to 74% more expensive than in 2022. The cheapest ticket for the final costs 4,000 dollars, while the most expensive is 10,000 dollars. FIFA also uses "dynamic" pricing, where ticket costs rise with demand, and takes a 15% commission on resales [173018].
Infantino has built close ties with authoritarian leaders. He praised Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who gave him an award in 2019. He made billion-dollar deals with Saudi Arabia’s state oil company, Aramco. He even created a "Peace Prize" and gave it to U.S. President Donald Trump [173018]. Infantino created the FIFA Peace Prize in December and gave it to himself, using his role as a peacemaker in the Middle East as an excuse. He reportedly got the idea after Trump did not win the Nobel Peace Prize [172448].
"Two words define Infantino: servile and dangerous," said Jules Boykoff, a political science professor at Pacific University. "He is not the first megalomaniac and narcissist in international sports, but he must be the most servile. Servile to the molecular level." Boykoff added that Infantino’s servility is part of a plan to secure money. "He does not care about ethics or FIFA’s rules. He will do whatever it takes to keep the money flowing" [173018].
The president’s lifestyle reflects his focus on money. His base salary is 3.3 million dollars, with a bonus of 2.78 million dollars after a 33% increase this year [173018]. Critics say Infantino is damaging football. "He is putting a popular sport at risk with his high ticket prices. He needs this money to maintain his five-star lifestyle," Boykoff said. "He is sucking the magic out of what made football so special" [173018].
Infantino has a simple message for critics of the 2026 World Cup: relax and trust us. His comments come as multiple teams and fans face entry problems in the United States. Last week, a top referee from Somalia was sent home as soon as he landed in the country. Fans from Iran, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Haiti have also been blocked from entering. Iran’s team must now train in Tijuana, Mexico, and cross the border just to play their matches. "Chill, relax," Infantino told reporters. "Relax and trust in FIFA" [172433].
FIFA’s rules limit a president to three terms of 12 years. But Infantino argues his first three years (2016-2019) do not count because they were the end of Blatter’s term. This means he could stay in power for another term after the 2027 elections [173018].