FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been reelected till 2027 and has promised that this yr’s Women’s World Cup may have $150 million in prize cash — 10 occasions the 2015 determine. The 52-year-old changed Sepp Blatter as FIFA chief again in 2016, retained the position in 2019 and has now been reelected unopposed for 4 extra years.
“Our mission will be capable to have equality in funds for 2026 males’s and 2027 girls’s World Cups,” stated Infantino on the 73rd Fifa Congress in Kigali, Rwanda on Thursday. “We are discussing organizing a Women’s Club World Cup.”
The 2022 World Cup closing in Qatar boasted a $440 million complete prize fund and the event was a hit on the sphere however messy away from it contemplating quite a few controversies. The matter of the nation’s use of migrant staff, same-sex relationships views, disputed human rights file and FIFA’s heavy-handed stance on the OneLove armband all got here in for scrutiny.
Under Infantino, FIFA have additionally regarded right into a World Cup each two years which provoked fierce criticism throughout the worldwide soccer group.
“It is an unimaginable honor and privilege, and an incredible duty,” Infantino stated of his reelection. “I promise to proceed serving FIFA and soccer world wide. To people who love me, and I do know there are a lot of, and people who hate me…I like you all.”
Infantino additionally declared a necessity for “far more” soccer which comes within the wake of an expanded 2026 World Cup which is able to characteristic 48 groups in addition to plans to develop a FIFA World Series each two years “when groups are free from enjoying qualifiers.”
“When I hear there’s an excessive amount of soccer, sure, possibly in some locations, however not in every single place,” he stated. “In truth, in most components of the world, there’s not sufficient soccer performed. We want far more and never much less competitions. We need soccer to develop worldwide.”
The 2026 World Cup will probably be held within the U.S. alongside Mexico and Canada with 16 further groups for 104 video games as a substitute of 80. The event goes from eight teams of 4 to 12 teams of 4.
The potential winners in 2026 must play eight video games as a substitute of seven so as to be victorious and a 32-team Club World Cup may even be launched from 2025.
Infantino additionally talked about a possible world wage cap throughout soccer.
“We should enhance our laws and the FIFA statutes. We will proceed to evolve our good governance ideas and have a look at the switch system, and possibly have a dialogue to enhance transparency of switch charges and salaries,” he stated.
“It is perhaps essential to introduce a cap. We must assume how we are able to try this. We will have a look at it with all stakeholders and see what we are able to do.”
