Card tricks

By letting the White House interfere in a disciplinary matter, FIFA have set a dangerous precedent for future tournaments

FIFA president Sepp Blatter was about to present the medals at the 2012 Olympics women’s football final. When his face appeared on the Wembley screen, there was a cacophony of booing. Blatter managed a tight smile but was clearly peeved.

At the 2026 World Cup, Blatter’s succes - sor Gianni Infantino appeared regularly on TV during matches. These shots were not always shown on the stadium screens, in case of an adverse reaction. There was plenty of booing when Infantino walked out with Donald Trump for the trophy presentation at the final in New Jersey, though it would be hard to identify the crowd’s main target. While Trump seethes about public hostility, Infantino currently has little reason to care. Blatter was brought down by corruption charges three years after the Wembley catcalls but his succes - sor has worked to remove independent scrutiny of FIFA financial operations.

A presidential election will be held at the next FIFA Congress in March 2027 and Infantino, already elected unopposed twice, seems likely to be the only candidate. In breach of the organisation’s Code of Ethics, FIFA officials are said to have drafted letters for member associations to send in support of the president and only a few of the 211 have yet to comply. These letters can be transferred to another candidate but with three federations, Africa, Asia and South America’s Conmebol, having already backed him, Infantino has the majority he needs.

There might be European backing for a token challenger, but the Norwegian federation (NFF) is the only one so far to have taken significant action. Ahead of the World Cup, the NFF’s Lise Klaveness backed a complaint raised with FIFA by the human rights group, Four Square. This concerned the award of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to Donald Trump, which clearly violates the governing body’s statutes regarding political neutrality. Since then, Four Square have also called for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to take action against Infantino, who has been an IOC member since 2020, for breaching the organisation’s rules on political neutrality by offering support to Trump.

The principal example cited in their complaint is that FIFA submitted to pressure from the White House to suspend the red card given to the USA’s Folarin Balogun so that he could play in the round of 16 match against Belgium. This was the first time at a World Cup that a host government has intervened on behalf of one of their players. FIFA has suspended several national associations for “political interference” over the years, usually when football officials have been investigated for alleged corruption. The government meddling in this case clearly undermined the integrity of the tournament, and set a template for future hosts to follow.

There was plenty of booing when Infantino walked out with Donald Trump for the trophy presentation in New Jersey, though it would be hard to identify the crowd’s main target

At recent World Cups, FIFA were able to negotiate around visa requirements that would have prevented some supporters from travelling. In 2026, they simply caved in to the US administration, whose restrictions kept out many fans from Asia and Africa. FIFA also failed to support a designated referee, Omar Artan of Somalia, who was banned from entering America for supposed links to terror organisations. Most of the Iranian team’s support staff were barred while the players, based in Mexico, were required to enter the US no sooner than the day before their matches there and leave immediately after.

These moves affected two of the continents who have backed Infantino’s re-election. That they haven’t damaged his support is largely due to the patronage networks cultivated by the three presidents FIFA has had over the last 50 years. The grant money each country’s association receives can be vital for the development of local football. In the four-year cycle started in 2023, every member has received up to $8 million (£5.9m). Any signs of disloyalty towards the executive might be punished by the threat of grants being reassessed. Ahead of the World Cup final, it was announced that the tournament had made $ 15 billion, around 35 per cent more than forecast, so more money will be spread around over the next payment cycle.

Infantino’s plan to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams is opposed by his allies in the Asian confederation, along with UEFA. A defeat on that issue won’t bring him down but would at least show that there are some limits on his power. Blatter had also seemed invulnerable, until suddenly he wasn’t.