"Everyone is thinking and talking about Infantino, but nobody ever does anything." That line, from a senior figure inside FIFA's own orbit, is the most honest summary of global football politics you will read this year.
The Folarin Balogun suspended-suspension saga rattled UEFA enough to put out a formal statement calling the decision "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable." Strong words. And for once, they didn't immediately walk them back. But that's where the resistance ends.
No one is running against Infantino in 2027. Not one federation is willing to stake its financial future on a point of principle. The Athletic spoke to a dozen senior officials across multiple confederations and the verdict was unanimous: Infantino walks out of this World Cup stronger than he entered it.
The Money Explains Everything
Since taking over after the Blatter corruption scandal in 2016, Infantino has quadrupled the grants FIFA pays to its 211 member associations. For many national federations, those handouts represent at least three-quarters of their total income. FIFA has budgeted $13 billion in revenue for the current four-year cycle — and Infantino will almost certainly announce the tournament exceeded even that. Hard to vote out the man signing the checks.
Three confederations — Africa, Asia and South America — declared unanimous support for Infantino at FIFA's congress in Vancouver just two months ago. That's 111 member associations. Oceania can't function without FIFA's financial backing. Much of Concacaf's Caribbean contingent is in the same position.
Europe has 55 votes, but even those aren't reliably hostile. The English FA has already promised Infantino its vote, despite the Premier League and the PFA being in open conflict with FIFA over the global match calendar. Why? The UK is the only candidate to host the 2035 Women's World Cup and is still waiting for FIFA to officially hand it the tournament. The FA also wants a men's World Cup on home soil again at some point. You don't antagonise the man holding both keys.
What Comes Next Is the Real Story
Rather than lie low after the Balogun storm, Infantino responded by publicly pushing ahead with plans to expand the World Cup to 64 teams — something he had previously said was premature. The logic will be familiar: more African nations qualified this time, Cape Verde are a sensation, 24 more games means 24 more matches to sell to broadcasters, and maybe China, India, Italy and Nigeria can finally get in. Oh, and a 48-team Club World Cup, potentially every two years instead of four.
Double down. Flood the zone. Make everyone else play defence. It's a strategy that has worked for nine years running.
There is also quiet speculation — from multiple sources — about what happens after 2031, when Infantino's current term limit kicks in. Changing the statutes to extend his stay isn't being ruled out. A "soccer tsar" role in Saudi Arabia has been floated. Some insiders suggest a job swap with PSG and beIN Sports chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi, given the emerging joint venture between FIFA and European Football Clubs that will eventually need a figurehead.
"I'm not ruling anything out at this point," said one respondent when asked about a fourth term. "I think someone close to him will float the idea. Maybe that will be the real red line for the confederations — but I wouldn't put my house on it."
FIFA's newsletter recently ran five full items without a single mention of Gianni Infantino. Don't expect that to happen again anytime soon.
