{
  "id": 1728592,
  "title": "Despite Infantino’s own goal, football's finances need a revamp",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/despite-infantinos-own-goal-footballs-finances-need-a-revamp-1728592",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T14:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2026/08/18/fifa-football-infantino-world-cup-sport-business/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the coming months, Gianni Infantino will face a tense period of campaigning as he attempts to rebuild his fractured support ahead of the March presidential vote in Fifa. While his past actions to grow Fifa have generally been successful, recent decisions have eroded the sense of fairness in the game and put his leadership under scrutiny. Decisions, such as allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to play early World Cup games, not intervening to get a qualified referee for Iran, and allowing US player Folarin Balogun to play after a red card, have all undermined the spirit of the laws of the game. Despite the success of the most recent World Cup, with record-breaking revenue, Infantino's standing has been damaged by his proposed Fifa Forward Enterprise, which aims to bring in private money and commercialise World Cup operations. The issues in football extend beyond finances, with owners of clubs like Liverpool selling minority stakes to wealthy individuals, a trend considered acceptable in European football but criticized among grassroots fans. The international game, both men's and women's, faces similar challenges, as football has become increasingly commercialised and entertainment-focused, similar to the Americanisation of sports like the NFL and NBA. This trend, driven by the desire to attract a wider audience, has been detrimental to the integrity of the sport. The root of Infantino's troubles lies partly in politics, as Uefa, the European governing body, is both subordinate to and independent from Fifa, making it his greatest economic rival. Additionally, each party involved in football understands that the current growth model is unsustainable, with the media landscape fragmented and the business model relying on ever-increasing TV money and sponsorship. As football becomes more like a TV product, with half-time shows and hydration breaks, its fundamental essence as a competitive sport is under threat. Infantino's instinct for self-preservation may have distracted him from the sport's true asset, leading to a brewing power struggle that could become very ugly before a resolution is reached.",
  "summary": "For Gianni Infantino the next six months will be a tense period of campaigning as he tries to rebuild his fractured support before next March’s Fifa presidential vote that will decide if he remains at the pinnacle of elite sports administration. Until recently, Mr Infantino had a relatively good record when it came to taking calculated risks to grow Fifa . Ultimately, these manoeuvres did not…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Despite Infantino’s own goal, football's finances need a revamp",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/despite-infantinos-own-goal-footballs-finances-need-a-revamp",
        "published": "2026-08-18T14:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}