Gianni Infantino: A Decade Leading FIFA Amid Global Business and Corruption Scandals

When Gianni Infantino took over as FIFA president exactly ten years ago, on February 26, 2016, he promised to “bring football back to FIFA.” What followed was a radical transformation of the organization, marked by controversial political alliances and increasing closeness with global power figures. Instead of distancing himself from politics, Infantino built a presidency model where business and power relations intertwine with sporting decisions.

Infantino’s Path to the Presidency: More Than Just a Vote

Gianni Infantino’s rise to the top of FIFA was not an isolated event. In 2016, he won the presidential election in a runoff against a Bahraini sheikh amid a deep institutional crisis. The organization was shaken by a corruption scandal that had toppled the previous leadership and was desperately seeking a symbol of renewal. Infantino, then UEFA’s Director of Legal Affairs, was presented as a fresh alternative.

However, behind this reformist candidacy, less visible moves were underway. Months before his rise, Infantino held meetings with U.S. authorities, particularly with the Department of Justice. Later, he traveled to New York, where a meeting took place with details remaining partially undisclosed. What is known is that these contacts preceded significant changes in the corruption investigations within the organization.

FIFAGate: How Crisis Turned into Opportunity

The scandal known as FIFAGate exposed in 2015 a network of bribes and corruption that characterized decades of previous management. The FBI conducted an extensive investigation implicating multiple executives. However, in 2015, FIFA itself managed to frame the results as a Swiss “judicial decision,” allowing the organization to distance itself from the most sensitive findings.

The case was complex. Contracts signed during previous administrations violated the ethical principles FIFA now claimed to defend. One involved television rights with Cross Trading, a company linked to Full Play, an Argentine media company. These contracts, which earned $300,000 in resale profits, later appeared in the Panama Papers. Yet, Swiss investigations into these links mysteriously stalled.

The most dramatic shift came at the end of 2025, when the U.S. Department of Justice ordered Brooklyn prosecutors to drop the last two pending FIFAGate convictions. One involved a Fox executive; the other, again, Full Play. This change in stance occurred just days after Infantino awarded Donald Trump the FIFA Peace Award.

From the 2026 World Cup Promise to Political-Sport Entanglement

Just weeks after taking office, Infantino committed the 2026 World Cup to the United States, coinciding with Trump’s presidency start. Industry observers saw this as a symbolic gesture of retribution for the U.S. defeat in the 2022 World Cup vote, when Qatar was controversially chosen.

In subsequent conversations, Trump suggested an implicit deal: the U.S. would not oppose the 2018 Russia and 2022 Qatar tournaments already held. In return, Trump would get the 2026 tournament, Copa América TV rights, and media support. Additionally, the U.S. administration would halt FIFAGate investigations. If Infantino needed additional funding for projects, he could seek funds from Saudi Arabia.

This agreement transformed global football’s landscape. The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams instead of the traditional 32. Just five days ago, UEFA agreed that the next Club World Cup would also expand to 48 teams, financed by platforms like DAZN and Saudi broadcasters. The expansion is driven more by financial imperatives than sporting considerations.

The Paradox of Infantino: Demanding Accountability While Negotiating Impunity

Gianni Infantino’s current decade as FIFA president presents a troubling paradox. On one hand, he denounces racism in football. When Argentine player Gianluca Prestianni from Benfica insulted Brazilian Vinicius Jr. with racist language, Infantino issued a strong statement saying “there is no place for racism in our sport or society.”

Yet, the same week, Trump shared a racist animated video on social media depicting Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as monkeys. Prestianni faced immediate sanctions. Trump did not. The selective application of principles defines Infantino’s administration.

The Future Under Infantino’s Presidency: Hostage to Circumstances?

Key observers of global sports politics describe Infantino as currently “a hostage of Trump.” The Swiss will mark ten years of his presidency in a context where an external political figure has veto power over institutional decisions. The 2026 World Cup will unfold under this dynamic, with Trump potentially able to dictate terms on how the tournament develops.

The risk is not only political co-optation. The psychology of personalist power introduces volatility. A president who, according to political analysts, “only wants to stir fires” and is described as having “a damaged psyche” now holds decisive influence over global football.

Gianni Infantino’s ten-year story is ultimately the story of how a sports organization became an instrument of geopolitical power relations. Where there was once football, now there are political transactions. Where principles once stood, there are implicit agreements. The legacy of this decade will be remembered less for sporting reforms and more for the power architecture Infantino built.