FIFA President Gianni Infantino chose not to address inquiries regarding his future as he attended the opening of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, amid ongoing scrutiny following his decision to abandon plans to monetize World Cup revenues.
Infantino was present in the stands conversing with Cezary Kulesza, the president of the Polish soccer federation, as the host team Poland faced Argentina on the inaugural day of the tournament on Saturday.
“There will be much to discuss, but the appropriate time and place for that is not today, nor here. Right now, we are celebrating football,” Infantino stated to Sky News as he entered the stadium.
“At FIFA, we are committed to ensuring that every corner of the globe has the chance, opportunity, and dignity to improve and engage in the beautiful game, which we all cherish.”
When asked if he had contemplated resigning or if he still planned to run for a fourth term next year, Infantino remained silent.
Since the collapse of his World Cup profit-sharing proposal, Infantino has largely stayed out of the public eye, facing opposition from numerous FIFA member countries and some of his own officials.
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Last week, European nations—making up a quarter of the 24-team lineup—retracted their threat to boycott, citing FIFA’s reassurances that the proposal would not be revisited.
Legal proceedings regarding the initial attempt continue, with European countries playing a significant role in efforts to remove Infantino prior to next year’s FIFA election.
On Thursday, FIFA filed a court document accusing UEFA of conducting a “smear campaign against FIFA and its leadership” as the European soccer organization seeks evidence related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative.
Infantino angered soccer officials globally in July, shortly after the conclusion of the World Cup, when the British newspaper The Times disclosed his plan for a $20 billion US subsidiary to manage FIFA’s commercial rights, including those of the World Cup.
This spinoff was intended to be 20% owned by investors led by a New York fund established by Joshua Kushner, which would offer $20 million to each of FIFA’s 211 member federations as an initial incentive. They faced a mid-September deadline to accept the proposal.
Infantino withdrew his proposal within four days. UEFA garnered support from the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, along with criticism directed at the proposal and Infantino from senior FIFA officials.
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