The supposedly "best World Cup of all time" is coming to an end. Finally time for FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to look to the future. It's full of money and full of peace. For him, the fact that European values are ignored is proof of a functioning democracy.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has all the time in the world or just too many appointments at once. A FIFA Council Meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. local time, and a press conference at 12.30 p.m. to mark the end of the World Cup. Eight agenda items are scheduled for the meeting. Everything is at stake, including the finances of FIFA and the hosting of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2023, changes to the code of ethics and an update on the World Cup in Qatar, changes to the match calendar and, as will be explained later, a new one as well Club World Cup. It will turn the world of football upside down again.
Of course that takes time. Especially with such far-reaching decisions that will cut deep into the structures of football. After his groundbreaking speech at the start of this World Cup, everyone wants to see him. Can he deliver again? Although this time he offers no slogans, does not compare himself to Jesus and does not feel the suffering of everyone in the world, his statements outline the path of international football.
As this tournament has already shown, he is no longer located in Europe or in South America, but is looking for new markets. There the greed for football is satisfied, which at FIFA has long degenerated into a greed for even more money. Four years from now, the megalomaniac World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the USA will follow the World Cup in totalitarian Qatar. 32 nations will become 48 and sales of 6.5 billion US dollars are expected to grow to 11 billion US dollars in the next four years. Of course everything flows back into football, he later said, and that would make the world a better place again. Because football makes people forget as long as they don't care too much about other things. Things like human rights, which FIFA defends anyway. Practically.
"Excuse me, I'm a bit late," Infantino smiled away while waiting. With a smile that only the most powerful man in world football can smile. "Because of the FIFA Council Meetings, of course. You never know when they're going to end." The Council, the FIFA council, consists of 37 members. The President, eight Vice-Presidents and 28 ordinary members who are appointed by the Confederations for four-year terms. The Council also has a German member. Peter Peters, the former head of finance at Schalke 04, is described on the FIFA site as "one of the most important decision-makers in German football". All you need to know.
Nor about the status of European football, which no longer fits the times. Who throws around values that the rest of the world doesn't care about in the face of money and which, one can say with good certainty, will also be forgotten by most Europeans above a certain amount. Despite this, there was still resistance to FIFA's sell-out of football at this World Cup. Not only the DFB, but also the Danish association rebelled, at least to some extent, without finding any real solutions. The controversy surrounding the "One Love" armband tore the DFB team apart, but didn't bother FIFA much.
"There are different cultures, different views. As FIFA, we have to take care of everyone," said Infantino when asked about the controversy, claiming that FIFA defends "values, human rights and the rights of everyone in FIFA". Otherwise, the World Cup is hardly a place to put your opinion on the pitch. Escapism is the aim of the game. "We have to give the fans a moment in their lives where they can forget their problems and enjoy football. Outside of the game, everyone is free to express their opinions as they wish." The old tour that reduces the rights of the LBGTQIA community to one opinion among many.
But Europe didn't just run into a wall with the "One Love" bandage. Even with the rather awkward efforts to convert the outrage of northern European fans at the total sell-out of football into action, which is not wrongly described as popular anger. Among other things, the DFB wants to abstain from voting in the upcoming presidential election in Rwanda. Alone: nobody cares, least of all Infantino. "FIFA is an organization from 211 countries. And I'm very grateful and proud that over 200 countries have already pledged their support," said the boss, pleased with the remaining elements of democracy in his organization. "I'm also very grateful and proud of the others. We always have discussions about all kinds of topics."
Of course, also about where football is going and what can be expected of it in the future: "We are very, very optimistic about the power of football," said Infantino, referring to the "power of FIFA" and raving about the possibilities of the Football, soccer, in the North American market, which is still not fully developed. The next gold treasure will open there in 2026. The mega World Cup over three countries, with 48 teams, without a previously worked out format. Groups of three, groups of four, more games, more spectators, more, more, more. Football can do everything. He proved that in Qatar, where, apart from a few annoyed Europeans, everyone had fun and traveled from Saudi Arabia, India, Mexico, the USA and Great Britain.
"The impact of the game was massive here and it's going to be massive in North America," Infantino said, his eyes shining as the subject of his favorite topic returned: money. When he thought of the huge stadiums and the associated increase in income in all areas: "We are convinced that football in North America will experience an upswing. We will start working on this World Cup immediately after the final whistle."
At this World Cup, he proved that football doesn't need a divided Europe or a disunited UEFA. The continent may still field the best players in the tournament, with the Champions League having the biggest club competition in the world, but otherwise it doesn't matter anymore. There are always enough other associations that choose Infantino - in 2023 and certainly in 2027 after the next World Cup in history. FIFA can't get enough and everyone joins in.
