Wikipedia

Gianni Infantino

Giovanni "Gianni" Vincenzo Infantino[a] (born 23 March 1970) is a Swiss football administrator who has served as the president of FIFA since 2016.[2][3] He was previously UEFA Secretary General from 2009 to 2016, where he oversaw tournament expansion – such as the UEFA Nations League – and formalized UEFA financial regulations. He has been an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member since 2020.[4][5]

Gianni Infantino
Infantino in 2026
9th President of FIFA
Incumbent
Assumed office
26 February 2016
Vice PresidentÁngel María Villar
David Chung
Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa
Preceded bySepp Blatter
Issa Hayatou (acting)
Personal details
BornGiovanni Vincenzo Infantino
(1970-03-23) 23 March 1970 (age 56)[1]
Brig, Valais, Switzerland
Citizenship
  • Switzerland
  • Italy
  • Lebanon
SpouseLeena Al Ashqar
Children4
University of Fribourg
Awards
Signature

As president of FIFA, Infantino has overseen three World Cups, including the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and the ongoing 2026 World Cup in North America.[6][7] He played a key role in the selection of Saudi Arabia as host of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. His tenure has seen a significant commercial expansion, technological development and growth in men's and women's football. His career has seen extensive controversy over his leadership directives, financial contracts, public statements, and actions at both UEFA and FIFA.

Early life and education

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Infantino was born on 23 March 1970 in Brig, Switzerland.[8][3] He is a son of Italian immigrant parents from the Italian regions of Calabria and Lombardy. He acquired Lebanese citizenship through his marriage to Leena Al Ashqar, and is therefore a citizen of Switzerland, Italy and Lebanon.[9][3] He studied law at the University of Fribourg.[10] He speaks French, German and Italian as mother tongues and also speaks Arabic, English, Portuguese and Spanish.[8]

Career

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Infantino worked as the Secretary General of the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) at the University of Neuchâtel.[3][when?]

UEFA

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Infantino started working with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) in August 2000 and was appointed as the Director of UEFA's Legal Affairs and Club Licensing Division in January 2004. He became Deputy General Secretary of UEFA in 2007 and Secretary General of UEFA in October 2009.[3][11] During his time there, UEFA introduced Financial Fair Play and improved commercial support to smaller national associations.[11]

Infantino oversaw the expansion of UEFA Euro 2016 to 24 teams[12] and played a role in the conception of the UEFA Nations League and the UEFA Euro 2020, which was intended to take place in 13 European nations before the number was reduced to 11.[13]

In 2015, the Greek government decided to introduce a new sports law in response to the recent scandal and acts of violence and corruption, mainly in Greek football. Infantino, as UEFA's general secretary, led the negotiations with the Greek government and supported the Hellenic Football Federation's warning to Greece that it faced suspension from international football for government interference.[14][15]

FIFA Presidency

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Infantino with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 68th FIFA Congress, 13 June 2018
Infantino with Juan Carlos Varela, Mohammad bin Salman and Nicolas Sarkozy at the FIFA World Cup in Russia, 14 June 2018
Infantino with US President Donald Trump in 2019

Infantino was a member of FIFA's Reform Committee.[16] On 26 October 2015, he received the backing of the UEFA Executive Committee to stand for the position of president in the 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress. On the same day, he confirmed his candidacy and submitted the required declarations of support.[17] He promised to expand the FIFA World Cup to forty teams.[18]

On 26 February 2016, he was elected FIFA President for a period of three years.[19] Infantino, who holds dual Swiss and Italian citizenship through his parents, became the first Italian to hold the Presidency of FIFA. Shortly after his election in 2016, Infantino was named in documents released as part of the Panama Papers leak. The documents indicated that, while a senior legal official at UEFA, he had co-signed a television-rights contract with a company subsequently linked to defendants in the United States investigation into FIFA corruption, a relationship UEFA had previously denied. Infantino said that he was "dismayed" by the reports and stated that he had never personally dealt with the indicted parties.[20]

In July 2016, the investigatory chamber of FIFA's ethics committee opened an examination into whether Infantino had breached the FIFA Code of Ethics. The chamber concluded that no violation had occurred.[21][22] Infantino was the subject of a prolonged affair in Switzerland concerning undisclosed meetings he held with the Attorney General of Switzerland, Michael Lauber, and the Valais prosecutor Rinaldo Arnold in 2016 and 2017, while Lauber's office was investigating corruption in international football.[23]

In 2017, Infantino criticised the United States' travel ban on several Muslim-majority nations. He said, "When it comes to FIFA competitions, any team, including the supporters and officials of that team, who qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup. That is obvious."[24]

In 2019, Infantino accepted the Order of Friendship medal given to him by Vladimir Putin, following the 2018 FIFA World Cup.[25][26]

Infantino's presidency of FIFA has been the subject of recurring criticism concerning alleged corruption, conflicts of interest, the organisation's governance, and its relationships with states accused of human rights abuses. Investigations into his personal conduct by FIFA's ethics committee and by Swiss prosecutors closed without finding a violation or bringing charges.[22][21]

In Iran, after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women were banned from stadiums when men's teams were playing.[27] Infantino repeatedly warned Iranian football federation and Islamic Republic of Iran authorities about Iranian women's rights.[28] On 8 September 2019, Sahar Khodayari self-immolated after being arrested for trying to enter a stadium.[29] Later that month, Infantino stated:

Our position is clear and firm. Women have to be allowed into football stadiums in Iran. Now is the moment to change things.[30]

Following that incident, FIFA assured Iranian women that they would be able to attend stadiums starting from October 2019.[29] On 10 October 2019, more than 3,500 women attended the Azadi Stadium for a World Cup qualifier against Cambodia.[31]

In 2024, FIFA decided, with Infantino's approval, that Infantino's name would be engraved on the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup trophy. The trophy also included the following passage: "We are witness to a new age. The golden era of club football: the era of the FIFA Club World Cup. The pinnacle of all club competitions. Inspired by the FIFA president Gianni Infantino."[32]

At the 75th FIFA Congress in Asunción in May 2025, Infantino arrived approximately two hours late after meeting Donald Trump in the Middle East, prompting UEFA's delegation to leave the meeting in protest and accused Infantino of prioritising political interests over football.[22][33][34]

During the European Football Clubs general assembly on 9 October 2025, Infantino reportedly told the delegates to "keep an open mind" about scheduling the FIFA World Cup, which has traditionally been held during European summer during June to August, to winter months stating that limiting the tournament's scheduling would prevent the globalisation of football as the current scheduling is too hot to play in some countries.[35]

In November 2025, Infantino introduced the FIFA Peace Prize, with U.S. President Donald Trump set to receive the inaugural award in Washington, D.C. in December 2025.[36][37] The award and its recipient drew criticism, given that Trump had "aggressively campaigned for and carped about" not being awarded that year's Nobel Peace Prize. Both the timing and the optics were remarked upon, and "fueled questions about the blurring of sport and diplomacy".[38]

In June 2026, the former UEFA president Michel Platini filed a criminal complaint in France against FIFA and Infantino, alleging that Infantino had orchestrated a campaign of false accusation and influence-peddling to prevent Platini from succeeding Sepp Blatter as FIFA president and thereby facilitate his own election in 2016. Platini, whose FIFA ethics ban was reduced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and who was acquitted of related criminal charges by a Swiss court in 2022, also announced a civil claim for damages. FIFA denied wrongdoing, and the allegations remained untested in court.[39]

2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar

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With the holding of the World Cup in Qatar, the issue of migrant workers' rights attracted attention. Qatar has been accused of unpaid wages, imposing excessive working hours, illegal recruitment and the deaths of workers who helped build Qatar stadiums.[40] When questioned about abuses suffered by migrant workers involved in preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Infantino said that migrant workers were given work and pay and were proud to contribute to constructing the stadiums.[41] Infantino also charged Western countries with "hypocrisy" for criticising Qatar on moral grounds.[42] In an hour-long monologue, he told reporters: "What we Europeans have been doing for the last 3,000 years, we should be apologizing for the next 3,000 years before starting to give moral lessons."[43]

2026 FIFA World Cup in North America

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Environmental organizations have raised concerns regarding the carbon footprint of the 2026 World Cup, with specific criticism directed at the extensive private air travel of Infantino. The carbon accounting firm Greenly estimated that if Infantino maintains his pace of traveling to multiple cities per day through the end of the tournament, his private plane usage alone will generate between 300 and 500 tons of CO₂ emissions.[44]

In July 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump called Infantino and asked FIFA to review the red card issued to United States forward Folarin Balogun for planting his boot into the ankle of Tarik Muharemović during the match between United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina.[45] FIFA subsequently suspended Balogun's automatic one-match ban for a one-year probationary period, allowing him to play in the round of 16 against Belgium. The decision drew criticism from the UEFA, the Royal Belgian Football Association and several international coaches, who questioned its implications for fair play and future disciplinary decisions and called for Infantino to resign.[46] Infantino denied there was political interference, stating the disciplinary committee was independent.[47][48]

In July, the International Olympic Committee received a request to its Ethics Commission to investigate Gianni Infantino who serves as an IOC member. IOC President Kirsty Coventry confirmed that the IOC was monitoring the controversy and that the complaint will be considered once it is received by the ethics commission.[49][50][51]

2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia

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Infantino with Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman and Donald Trump in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 13 May 2025

On 31 October 2023, Infantino announced that Saudi Arabia would host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. FIFA restricted the hosting eligibility to Asia or Oceania after it made the decision to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup on three continents (Africa, Europe and South America) alongside the restriction of North America following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This paved the way for Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup by substantially reducing opportunities for competing host bids.[52] Infantino has a documented relationship with the Saudi regime.[53] Infantino had also urged the AFC to fully support and unite around the Saudi bid, discouraging other AFC members from submitting their own bids.[54] FIFA required its members to decide the hosts of the 2030 and 2034 tournaments at a single meeting, effectively handing the tournament to Saudi Arabia as they were the only bidder. The process was criticised by human-rights organisations and figures within football, and commentators noted that it coincided with Saudi-linked financing of FIFA's expanded Club World Cup.[55][22]

Personal life

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Infantino is married to Leena Al Ashqar from Lebanon; the couple has four children.[8]

Since October 2021, he has also spent time in Doha, Qatar, where he rents a house and where two of his children attend school.[56] Some, including former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, have speculated on Infantino's intention to move the FIFA headquarters away from Zürich.[56] Infantino confirmed that his official residency remains in Canton Zürich, explaining that organising the World Cup in Qatar necessitated his presence there.[57] He moved his official residency to Zug, Switzerland in June 2022.[58]

On 25 November 2025, Infantino began the process of obtaining Lebanese citizenship, following a meeting with the president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, and the Lebanese Football Association president, Hachem Haidar.[59] He became a Lebanese citizen on 16 February 2026.[60]

Awards

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Honours

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Distinctions

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References

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  1. ↑ Anon (2020). "Gianni Infantino". fifa.com. FIFA. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020.
  2. ↑ "Who We Are – News – Gianni Infantino is re-elected as FIFA President until 2023". FIFA. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Gianni Infantino". UEFA. 8 January 2010. Archived from the original on 16 January 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "IOC Session elects three new Members". International Olympic Committee. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  5. ↑ "Infantino joins IOC as member to end FIFA's five-year absence". reuters.
  6. ↑ Coates, Charlotte; Bacon, Holly. "Gianni Infantino: FIFA President news conference on eve of World Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "FIFA president Infantino hails Qatar 2022 as 'the greatest World Cup ever' | Goal.com". www.goal.com. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "The President – Gianni Infantino". FIFA. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  9. ↑ "Infantino, l'avvocato di origini calabresi che tifava Inter" (in Italian). sportmediaset.it. 26 February 2016.
  10. ↑ "Everything you need to know about Gianni Infantino, the new Fifa president". The Guardian. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  11. 1 2 "UEFA Executive Committee supports UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino for FIFA presidency". UEFA. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  12. ↑ Borden, Sam (24 February 2016). "In FIFA Pitch, Gianni Infantino Pushes Expansion and Continuity". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  13. ↑ "Thirteen cities to host UEFA EURO 2020". UEFA. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 4 June 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  14. ↑ "UEFA & FIFA warn Greece over government's planned new football laws |thetoc.gr". The TOC In English. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  15. ↑ Nicholson, Paul. "Exclusive: Infantino fires second warning shot to Greece over football law proposal – Inside World Football". insideworldfootball.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  16. ↑ "FIFA Committees – 2016 FIFA Reform Committee – FIFA.com". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  17. ↑ "Statement from UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino". UEFA. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  18. ↑ "Gianni Infantino to expand World Cup to 40 teams if elected Fifa president". The Guardian. Associated Press. 10 November 2015. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  19. ↑ "Gianni Infantino elected FIFA President". FIFA.com. 26 February 2016. Archived from the original on 27 February 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  20. ↑ "What were Gianni Infantino's goals and what controversies has he faced as FIFA president?". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  21. 1 2 "Infantino's FIFA: Ten years of power, politics, and so-called ethics". Play the Game. 7 May 2026. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  22. 1 2 3 4 "Reformer or ringleader: A decade on, what is Infantino's legacy as FIFA president?". ESPN. June 2026. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  23. ↑ "Parliament denies under-fire Swiss Attorney General immunity". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  24. ↑ "Donald Trump travel ban could prevent USA from hosting 2026 World Cup". The Independent. 9 March 2017.
  25. ↑ "WATCH: Vladimir Putin gives FIFA president Gianni Infantino a medal after World Cup praise". Sky Sports.
  26. ↑ Smith, Rory (25 February 2022). "Soccer, Russia and a Line Drawn Too Late". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  27. ↑ Johnstone, Lindsey (11 October 2019). "Watch: Iranian women attend first football match in 40 years". euronews. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  28. ↑ "هشدار دوباره فیفا به ایران: به زنان باید اجازه حضور در ورزشگاه داده شود". euronews (in Persian). 19 September 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  29. 1 2 "Fifa 'assured' Iranian women will be able to attend football matches". BBC News. 22 September 2019.
  30. ↑ Johnstone, Lindsey (19 September 2019). "Watch: FIFA tells Iran women must be allowed into stadiums". euronews. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  31. ↑ "Iran football: Women attend first match in decades". BBC Sport. 10 October 2019.
  32. ↑ Sheldon, Dan (15 November 2024). "FIFA president Gianni Infantino's name engraved on new Club World Cup trophy". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  33. ↑ "Gianni Infantino's FIFA salary revealed as leaked documents emerge". SportBible. 18 January 2026. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  34. ↑ Abnos, Alexander (15 May 2025). "Delegates walk out of Fifa congress after Infantino arrives late from Trump trip". The Guardian.
  35. ↑ Ames, Nick (9 October 2025). "Gianni Infantino keeping 'open mind' about moving World Cups from summer". The Guardian.
  36. ↑ Kilpatrick, Dan (5 November 2025). "Gianni Infantino to award FIFA's inaugural peace prize at Washington's World Cup 2026 draw". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  37. ↑ Graham, Bryan Armen; Beaumont, Peter (5 December 2025). "Trump awarded inaugural Fifa peace prize at World Cup draw in Washington". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  38. ↑ Graham, Bryan Armen (5 November 2025). "Trump ally Infantino to award first Fifa peace prize at World Cup draw in DC". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
  39. ↑ "Gianni Infantino named in criminal complaint on eve of World Cup". The New Republic. June 2026. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  40. ↑ McTague, Tom (19 November 2022). "The Qatar World Cup Exposes Soccer's Shame". The Atlantic.
  41. ↑ "Infantino on Qatar: Migrant workers get pride from hard work". AP NEWS. 2 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  42. ↑ Mulvenney, Nick (19 November 2022). "FIFA chief accuses critics of Qatar of hypocrisy ahead of World Cup". Reuters.
  43. ↑ Church, Ben (19 November 2022). "Explosive tirade from FIFA boss threatens to overshadow World Cup opener". CNN.
  44. ↑ "FIFA draws criticism as Infantino clocks up air miles at World Cup". France 24. 21 June 2026.
  45. ↑ "FIFA makes U-turn to clear Balogun for US-Belgium World Cup clash following call from Trump". CNA. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  46. ↑ Blum, Ronald; L. Price, Michelle (5 July 2026). "FIFA lifts US star striker Balogun's red card suspension at World Cup after Trump calls Infantino". AP News. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  47. ↑ Johnson, Dale (6 July 2026). "World Cup 2026: Is Balogun the scandal that could bring down Infantino?". BBC Sport.
  48. ↑ "FIFA's Infantino targeted by complaint to Olympic ethics body after Trump lobbying on Balogun ban". www.pbs.org. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  49. ↑ IOC Ethics Commission called on to investigate Gianni Infantino following FairSquare referral
  50. ↑ FairSquare opens Olympic front against Infantino
  51. ↑ Trump's FIFA call raises Olympic-sized concerns
  52. ↑ Panja, Tariq (4 October 2023). "FIFA Will Host 2030 World Cup on Three Continents". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  53. ↑ Panja, Tariq (15 November 2023). "Inside Man: How FIFA Guided the World Cup to Saudi Arabia". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  54. ↑ "AFC voices support for Saudi Arabia 2034 World Cup bid as Indonesia pull out". www.insidethegames.biz. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  55. ↑ "Inside the $9 billion World Cup: How Gianni Infantino built a FIFA-dom with a tight grip on soccer's biggest global event". Fortune. 4 June 2026. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  56. 1 2 "FIFA President Gianni Infantino moves to Qatar". Swissinfo. 17 January 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  57. ↑ "Infantino ist nach Zug gezogen – und spart damit ordentlich Steuern". stern.de (in German). 28 November 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  58. ↑ "Infantino ist nach Zug gezogen – und spart damit ordentlich Steuern". Stern (in German). 28 November 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  59. ↑ "Aoun grants FIFA President Gianni Infantino Lebanese citizenship". L'Orient Today. 25 November 2025. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  60. ↑ "رسميًا... إنفانتينو ينال الجنسية اللبنانية". The LFA (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 11 April 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  61. ↑ "Football: visite du président de la Fifa Gianni Infantino à Brazzaville". 30 November 2019.
  62. ↑ Afifa, Laila (10 November 2023). "Jokowi Confers Honorary Title to FIFA President Gianni Infantino". Tempo. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  63. ↑ "Presidentja: Nder i veçantë që sot, në emër të popullit të Kosovës, ta nderoj me Medalje Presidenciale të Meritave Presidentin e FIFA-s, Gianni Infantino" [President: It is a special honor that today, on behalf of the people of Kosovo, I honor the FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, with the Presidential Medal of Merit] (in Albanian). President of Kosovo. 8 October 2025.
  64. ↑ "FIFA President receives Mongolia's prestigious Friendship Medal". inside.fifa.com.
  65. ↑ "Infantino à Niamey avant de conclure sa tournée africaine". 28 February 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  66. ↑ "WATCH: Vladimir Putin gives FIFA president Gianni Infantino a medal after World Cup praise". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 8 December 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  67. ↑ "President of Uzbekistan emphasizes the importance of expanding partnership with FIFA". president.uz. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  68. ↑ ""Honoured and humbled": FIFA President receives Diamond of Asia at AFC Annual Awards". Archived from the original on 16 May 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
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