FIFA president Gianni Infantino offered Morocco the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for election backing, according to a report by The Times. The tournament is set to be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain. The report follows accusations of blackmail made against Infantino by the president of the Jordan Football Association.
FIFA denied that Infantino offered the final to Morocco in exchange for support. Moroccan officials want the match played at the new Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca, a venue that will seat 115,000 spectators. Spain has lined up the Bernabéu in Madrid for the decisive fixture, and Royal Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Louzán stated that holding the match in another country is not in their plans.
Campaign Tactics and Backroom Pressure
The Times reported that Infantino is attempting to persuade several countries to publicly express support for his FIFA leadership. However, his team harbors concern over silence from Saudi Arabia, which will host the 2034 World Cup and has long been among his strongest supporters.
Figures close to Infantino have also tried to convince members of the FIFA Legends group to publicly back the current leader. The group consists of former international players paid by FIFA to attend events. Advisers aimed to feature a high-profile player as the face of the endorsement, but recent shockwaves have put that plan in a delicate position.
Infantino also backed down from a plan to open FIFA to private investment.
Growing Opposition Across Governing Bodies
Resistance to Infantino has intensified across international football bodies. Former player Luis Figo called for Infantino to resign and accused the FIFA leader of dishonouring the office.
The Football Association of Wales withdrew its support for Infantino's re-election campaign. Meanwhile, European governing body UEFA stated that it has lost confidence in the FIFA leader.
