Embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino has deflected questions about his future by making bald jokes to reporters, breaking cover weeks after a secret plot to sell off stakes in the World Cup collapsed following widespread backlash.
The Swiss football administrator refused to answer serious scrutiny over calls for his resignation as he quickly darted into a nearby vehicle to escape reporters from Sky News.
When Sky News reporter James Matthews asked Infantino if he had betrayed football and why he would not step down, Infantino deflected the question with a joke about their shared appearance.
"You have a nice haircut, thank you so much," Infantino replied to Matthews. "See you at the hairdressers." Both Infantino and Matthews are bald.
The exchange marked the first public appearance for the 56-year-old head of world football's governing body since scrapping proposals that would have surrendered commercial aspects of FIFA's premier tournament to private investors.
The Secret World Cup Plan
News of Infantino's clandestine scheme first broke in July when a report by British newspaper The Times revealed he was considering selling parts of the FIFA World Cup to private financial backers. The proposed deal, designed to establish a new commercial entity, was estimated to be worth around £15 billion.
FIFA, the Federation Internationale de Football Association based in Zurich, Switzerland, relies on the quadrennial World Cup as its primary source of global revenue through broadcasting rights, ticketing, and corporate sponsorships.
According to The Times, the devious scheme could have banked Infantino millions of dollars personally. The plan outlined a role for Infantino as commissioner of the new private company once his current tenure as FIFA president ends in 2031. Industry estimates suggested the commissioner role would pay him more than $50 million a year.
Infantino had discussed the blueprint for selling stakes with senior FIFA figures and potential private investors, who signed non-disclosure agreements during confidential talks. Potential investors under consideration included Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, who served as senior advisor to former US President Donald Trump. Investment bank JPMorgan was reportedly handling the transaction, and the Donald Trump administration was understood to have been consulted on the matter.
JPMorgan Chase is one of the world's largest financial institutions, while Joshua Kushner is an American venture capitalist and founder of the investment firm Thrive Capital.
Internal Rebellion and Crisis Talks
The proposal ignited intense internal opposition across the sport. Earlier this month, Infantino summoned senior FIFA executives to crisis talks in the Moroccan city of Sale, located across the Bou Regreg river from Rabat, after details leaked that FIFA was preparing to sell £3.1 billion in World Cup stakes.
Although Infantino managed to secure the full support of FIFA's top executive committee during the Moroccan summit, the Swiss administrator subsequently scrapped the entire proposal due to an escalating internal rebellion and global condemnation.
Despite abandoning the commercial sell-off, Infantino faces mounting calls to resign from European and American football authorities. UEFA, the governing body of European football, and CONCACAF, which governs football in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, have both demanded that Infantino step down. UEFA has formally declared a complete lack of confidence in Infantino and announced it will boycott all FIFA tournaments until he leaves office.
UEFA, headquartered in Nyon, Switzerland, represents 55 national member associations across Europe, while Miami-based CONCACAF oversees 41 member associations across North and Central America.
Asian Opposition and Deposition Threshold
Pressure on the FIFA chief intensified further when Prince Ali bin Hussein, president of the Jordan Football Association, publicly accused Infantino of blackmail. Jordan became the first Asian country to formally rebel against Infantino's leadership.
With Jordan joining the revolt, 91 member associations have now moved against Infantino, assuming all member nations under UEFA and CONCACAF align with their respective continental governing bodies. Under FIFA statutes, a total of 106 member associations must vote against Infantino to depose him from the presidency.
Prince Ali bin Hussein, the half-brother of King Abdullah II of Jordan, previously served as FIFA vice-president for Asia and ran against former president Sepp Blatter in the 2015 FIFA presidential election.
Luis Figo Demands Immediate Resignation
The campaign against Infantino gained further momentum following an explosive opinion column by Portuguese football icon Luis Figo for Daily Mail Sport, in which Figo demanded Infantino's immediate resignation.
In his 600-word article, Figo condemned the aborted World Cup deal, describing it as the "lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed" and labelling the scheme a "grubby, underhand plot."
Figo, now 53, enjoyed a stellar playing career as a winger for Sporting CP, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Inter Milan. He won the Ballon d'Or in 2000 and earned 127 caps for Portugal before retiring in 2009.
Figo, who had originally supported Infantino's candidacy during the 2015 FIFA presidential campaign, pulled no punches in his critique. The former winger branded the disgraced executive a "relic who should have no part in football's future" and accused him of committing "a litany of abuses" while in power.
Among those alleged abuses, Figo highlighted the controversial suspension of the ban following Folarin Balogun's red card. Figo also targeted the introduction of a half-time show at the World Cup final, asserting that the entertainment spectacle "broke the laws of the game."
Figo wrote in Daily Mail Sport: "Infantino has debased the office of FIFA President that he promised to elevate. He has lied, deceived and tried to feather his own nest at the expense of the game he is supposed to serve."
Figo is widely regarded across international football as a potential candidate to succeed UEFA President Aleksandr Ceferin, who has been leading the institutional campaign against Infantino's presidency.
