Gianni Infantino, Fifa president since 2016, is at the center of controversy with his proposal to sell stakes in its competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. Despite this criticism, Fifa is expected to report record revenues of $13bn (£9.6bn) for the current three-year cycle. Infantino was initially installed as president to rescue Fifa from corruption and financial woes, which included a reported $550m black hole after sponsors pulled out. He has since implemented reforms and expanded competitions, but his presidency has also been marked by clashes with players' unions and European football.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Why this leaning score
The article uses neutral language to describe Infantino's presidency, but the framing of his accomplishments as a 'rescue' and the governing body being in 'rude health' suggests a positive tone. Additionally, the article notes that Infantino has 'remained in a strong position at the top of the world game', which implies some level of approval or admiration for his leadership.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score +0.45 for article 184 · logged 2026-07-31
- Published
Gianni Infantino has been the Fifa president for 10 years, when he was elected with a remit to rescue football's world governing body.
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he → publish → body
Infantino was installed with Fifa engulfed by claims of widespread corruption and after predecessor Sepp Blatter had resigned.
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Blatter → instal → corruption
There was a reported $550m (£392m) black hole, external after sponsors walked away.
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sponsors → be → ?
In Infantino, the game felt it had found a safe pair of hands.
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it → feel → hands
"I will work tirelessly to bring football back to Fifa, and Fifa back to football," Infantino said.
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Infantino → work → football
Ten years on, there can be no doubt the governing body is in rude health.
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body → govern → health
It expects to report record revenues, external of $13bn (£9.6bn) for the three-year cycle through to the end of this year.
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It → expect → year
But those figures only tell part of the story.
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figures → tell → story
They are boosted by the controversial Club World Cup, and the biggest-ever World Cup with its high ticket prices.
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They → boost → prices
Infantino and Fifa's recent proposal to sell stakes in its competitions - including the World Cup - to private investors has drawn widespread criticism, with football's global governing body accused of selling out the sport.
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body → sell → sport
Infantino has clashed with players' unions and European football, but remains in a strong position at the top of the world game.
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Infantino → clash → game
It is easy to forget Blatter's successor as Fifa president was supposed to be Michel Platini.
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successor → forget → president
But after Platini was drawn into the scandal at the organisation - both he and Blatter were later fully cleared of corruption charges - Infantino was thrust forward as Uefa's preferred candidate.
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Infantino → draw → candidate
As the general secretary of European football's governing body, Infantino had been the right-hand man of president Platini for seven years.
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Infantino → govern → years
To many he was just the guy who presented Champions League draws.
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who → present → draws
Ten years on, you would be hard pressed to find a football fan who does not recognise him.
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who → press → him
Turning Fifa around was no small task.
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Turning → turn → Fifa
The US Department of Justice had indicted a large number of top executives and it needed root-and-branch reform.
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it → indict → reform
Two pages of Infantino's manifesto were devoted to more than doubling development money for member associations.
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pages → devote → associations
That would be for new competitions, for infrastructure, and even to cover travel costs for smaller nations.
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That → cover → nations
Expanding the World Cup was also included, though to 40 teams.
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Expanding → expand → teams
Within a year it had been rubber-stamped as a 48-team tournament.
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it → stamp → tournament
In the first round of votes, Infantino led Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa - president of the Asian confederation - by 88 votes to 85.
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Infantino → lead → 85
Infantino only moved clear when the 34 votes originally cast for Jordan's Prince Ali bin al-Hussein and French executive Jerome Champagne were reallocated.
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votes → move → Hussein
"This is a new day, a new dawn," said then Football Association chairman Greg Dyke, welcoming Infantino's win.
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Dyke → say → win
Infantino, meanwhile, declared he would "restore the image of Fifa".
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he → declare → Fifa
"It's your money, not the money of the Fifa president," Infantino told delegates.
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Infantino → tell → delegates
"The money of Fifa has to be used to develop football."
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money → have → football
But to make more money, Fifa had to be creative.
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Fifa → make → money
Infantino takes centre stage over Qatar
The controversial World Cups of 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar were waiting in Infantino's in-tray.
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Cups → take → tray
Voting for the tournaments had been shrouded in controversy with claims of collusion and deals, but the deeds were already done.
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deeds → shroud → collusion
In his early years as president, Infantino kept a fairly low profile.
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Infantino → keep → profile
It was only when the World Cup rolled into Qatar that he started to become a more public figure.
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he → roll → Qatar
Under pressure amid repeated criticisms about workers' rights and claims of modern slavery in the country, Infantino hit back.
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Infantino → repeat → country
He first called out "hypocrisy" and "racism" about Qatar in the European media, then made his infamous speech about discrimination.
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He → call → discrimination
"Today I feel Qatari," he said.
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he → feel → ?
"Today I feel Arabic.
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I → feel → ?
Today I feel African.
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I → feel → ?
Today I feel gay.
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I → feel → ?
Today I feel disabled.
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I → feel → ?
…and 50 more, not listed.
