KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTING —- Gianni Infantino is sailing on for a further four years at the head of world football, promising even more competitions and even more money. No wonder delegates of 207 FAs re-elected him unopposed and by acclamation at FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda.

Infantino secured the world federation’s presidency in the spring of 2016 after FIFA’s reputation had been shredded by the FIFAGate corruption scandal. Sponsors stepped away or stayed away and even broadcasters held their nose.

That was then, this is now.

Whatever critics may think of Infantino’s personal style – including his decision-making and cosying-up to Saudi Arabia – the turnaround in FIFA’s fortunes in the past seven years has been remarkable. His ambition is doubtless to continue as long as he can.

This means one further possible term from 2027 since the reform regulations now allow a maximum of three full terms in office.

Infantino had no difficulty picking out the highlights of his reign.

He said: “I promised the best World Cup ever [in Qatar in 2022] and we delivered. We had 5bn viewers and 3m fans in the stadiums. We had excellent stadiums, perfect infrastructure, zero incidents. It was a peaceful and joyful World Cup.

“We also promised you that we would strengthen FIFA as a stable association because you never know what could happen and we needed to be prepared – and something did happen: the world stopped because of Covid.

Regaining trust

“As a result of the strong situation in FIFA we established the Covid relief plan, a $1.5bn plan which supported so many of you out there to keep football alive.

“We promised we were going to increase our revenues and make FIFA more stable and more transparent and therefore regaining the trust of sponsors and broadcasters.

“I was not sure we would achieve that because we set an ambitious target of $6.4bn but we did perform. Our revenues have gone up to a record $7.5bn, more than $1bn than what had been budgeted and in a period hit by Covid.

“You cannot do this is you are not a strong organisation trusted by everyone.”

Development cash

Infantino also took due credit for fulfilling his promise to extend development cash for the national associations: $250,000 per year in his original election and now $2m per year.

Perhaps with a dreamily ambitious eye to the long term, he added: “If a ceo tells the stakeholders that their products were multiplying in value seven times over I believe they would keep that ceo for ever . . . but I’m here for a four-year cycle only.”

Infantino’s positivity is viewed sceptically, to say the least, by many in the European game. His strategy is all about expansion however that may affect national and regional competitions and player welfare.

New competitions

Hence his long-promised 32-team Club World Cup every four years, starting in 2025; a re-styled annual club event; an expanded 48-team World Cup in 2026 with more than 100 matches; a projected ‘World Series’ every other year; age-group world cups every year ‘so as not to lose a generation’; and a women’s club world cup.

With the promise of a further record $11bn revenue over the next four years what was there for the world’s FAs not to like?

Several European associations including Germany and the Nordic FAs had said they would not join in the supporting applause for Infantino’s re-election.

Until Europe, however, can find a candidate who can promise the international game even more cash they will have to put up with the man who was once, after all, UEFA’s own general secretary.

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