UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has launched a scathing attack on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, criticizing his leadership of global football during an appearance on the podcast The Rest is Politics: Leading.
The Slovenian administrator targeted Infantino over a collapsed proposal to sell tournament organization rights to private investors, calling the scheme even worse than the breakaway European Super League.
Under the contentious proposal, commercial rights for the World Cup and other major FIFA tournaments would have been transferred to private investment groups. The move was designed to generate immense revenues for the world governing body and increase financial returns for Infantino himself. The plan met fierce resistance across international football, with UEFA threatening a complete boycott of the World Cup and other international competitions before the idea was ultimately abandoned.
Speaking on the podcast, Ceferin said that while elite clubs seeking their own league would have destroyed football, selling the sport to private entities was far more damaging. He added that he remains convinced the plan is completely dead, stressing that stopping the sale of football was the most vital outcome.
He questioned what kind of person could attempt to sell a sport that belongs to everyone. He added that the reputational damage from the controversy would persist for a long time.
World Cup disciplinary controversy
Ceferin also condemned FIFA officials over a controversial disciplinary decision at the World Cup involving United States national team forward Folarin Balogun. Balogun had a suspension for a rightly issued red card suspended by tournament organizers, enabling him to participate in the round of 16 fixture against Belgium. The decision provoked widespread debate because it directly benefited a prominent star representing the host nation.
Addressing the incident, the UEFA chief described the decision to overturn the ban as more than shocking. Ceferin said that when a governing body fails to respect its own regulations, the game itself loses all meaning. He added that figures across the football community were deeply shocked by the intervention, though many lacked the courage to voice their concerns publicly.
Infantino political connections
The European football chief further criticized Infantino over his high-profile relationship with United States President Donald Trump. Ceferin mocked the FIFA president's approach to political diplomacy, suggesting that Infantino had shown clear naivety in his dealings with world leaders.
Ceferin argued that anyone who considers a politician like Trump, or any political figure, to be a genuine friend is mistaken. He observed that the precise moment a sports administrator becomes a liability or a problem is the exact moment a politician will sever ties.
