Battle lines drawn within FIFA as key figures break ranks with Infantino
Jordan FA president Ali bin Hussein accused FIFA of "blackmail", claiming it offered to help solve many of the kingdom's problems in exchange for endorsing Gianni Infantino.
The crisis within FIFA intensified on Tuesday as high-ranking officials distanced themselves from a controversial proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup, originally proposed by FIFA chief Gianni Infantino. The 56-year-old Swiss-Italian leader abandoned the plan to generate $4.2 billion through a new commercial rights body after three days of intense turmoil in the soccer administration world.
Infantino reached out to apologize for the proposal's divisive impact on the sport, but his once unassailable authority was weakened as influential executives publicly distanced themselves from his initiative. Jordan's FA president criticized Infantino, alleging that he had attempted to intimidate key stakeholders through the proposal.
The scandal resulted in Infantino retracting his plan on Friday night, leaving his dominance at the helm of FIFA's global governing body in tatters.
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