Gianni Infantino's FIFA - How he is making the World's Greatest Game a Cash Cow.

 

Gianni Infantino. The Swiss-Italian football administrator has been FIFA’s president since 26^th February 2016. He has turned football into a business like never before. He has pushed for expanded competitions, has overcrowded the footballing calender and has prioritized commercial deals. Infantino’s FIFA is less about the soul of the game and more about it’s marketability. But where will the fans and the players draw a line?

THE OBESSESION WITH MORE GAMES

The 2026 World Cup which will be hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico is going to be a 48 team event and will have a staggering 106 games over six weeks. Other competitons like the African Cup of Nations are also being tweaked to accommodate more teams. With UEFA also chipping in by expanding the Champions league to get more games the footballing calender is being overcrowded. Players over the last few years have seen unprecedented ACL and other injuries. If players keep playing 65-70 or 75 matches every season, their bodies are bound to break down. Infantino is playing with the player’s futures for more television rights and sponsorships. It’s nothing other than a financial masterstroke - more games will mean more revenue and FIFA is just cashing in.

THE CLUB WORLD CUP FIASCO

One of Infantino’s most controversial moves is the expansion of the Club World Cup. It is set to become a 32-team mega event designed to rival the Champions League. So then what’s the problem? It disrupts the football calender even more. Clubs will be forced to play in an already overcrowded calender. With the tournament taking place in June and July it will mean that the players get virtually no rest and play for nearly the whole year. FIFA’s push for a bigger tournament has no relation to football merit. It is just another way to milk the sport for revenue.

MARKETING THE GAME NEEDLESSLY

Since Infantino became the FIFA president, we have seen a World Cup in Russia, a World Cup in winter in Qatar, numerous games in Saudi Arabia such as the Spanish Super Cup and trying to make USA a market for the sport. With news coming that the World Cup final in 2026 will have a Super Bowl like halftime show, the question is raised – Is this really what the fans want? While the financial success of all this is undeniable, it raises ethical concerns. Infantino is making the beautiful game an exclusive product for the highest bidder.

AT WHAT COST?

With Infantino’s focus on financial gain, the real question is -  what is being sacrificed? Players are facing an unsustainable workload, with relentless club and international commitments leading to more injuries and burnout. Fans, too, are feeling the impact—rising ticket prices, inconvenient match schedules, and tournaments held in politically charged locations have alienated many. Meanwhile, football’s rich are getting richer, as FIFA’s increasing revenues primarily benefit the organization and its elite stakeholders rather than grassroots development. Football at it’s core is a grassroot sport and if it wants to remain the World’s game, there has to be a balance between profit and passion.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? 

Every sport needs money. The world runs on money. But if there is one sport that does not need additional marketing it’s football. In the relentless pursuit of profit, the game is losing what makes it truly special. Football is not meant to be a business. It’s a sports that unites people and cultures. Gianni Infantino’s FIFA are stripping the game of it’s essence. Football is unique for it’s passion and the deep connection with fans. The question now is whether the clubs, players and most importantly the fans will push back before football becomes just another corporate product. 

By Parth Gokhale