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Gianni Infantino

Gianni Infantino

President of Fédération Internationale de Football Association

Appears in 3 stories

Born: 1970 (age 55 years), Brig, Switzerland
Spouse: Leena Al Ashqar
Children: Alessia Infantino, Sabrina Infantino, Dhalia Nora Infantino, and more
Education: University of Fribourg
Parents: Maria Minolfi and Vincenzo Infantino

Notable Quotes

"We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World." — Gianni Infantino, Instagram, March 11, 2026

Infantino has framed the expansion as a way to ‘shape the World Cup for the 21st century’ and make football more truly global, while critics in Europe warn it is driven by politics and revenue.([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jan/10/fifa-vote-expand-world-cup-48-teams-from-2026?utm_source=openai))

“Football is a force for peace and unity.” — Gianni Infantino, defending the decision to honor Trump

Stories

Iran withdraws from 2026 World Cup after U.S.-Israeli strikes kill supreme leader

Force in Play

Managing World Cup logistics amid Iran's withdrawal

Iran became the first non-host nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. A year later, it became the first qualified nation in the modern era to pull out for political reasons. Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali announced on state television that Iran will not participate in the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico—three months after a joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and devastated the country's military infrastructure.

Updated Mar 12

North America’s 2026 World Cup: from expansion gamble to mega-event reality

Rule Changes

Architect of 2026 expansion and joint hosting model

In January 2017 FIFA voted to expand the men’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams starting in 2026, setting in motion the largest tournament in the competition’s history and a radical shift in its format and economics. In June 2018 the “United 2026” bid from the United States, Canada and Mexico beat Morocco to win hosting rights, promising record revenues and leveraging NFL-scale stadiums across 16 cities. On 5–6 December 2025, FIFA completed the Washington, D.C. draw and released the full 104‑match schedule: Mexico will open at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on June 11, 2026, defending champion Argentina will start against Algeria, the U.S. will open group play against Paraguay, and the final is set for 3 p.m. EDT on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to deliver prime-time viewing in Europe.

Updated Feb 5

U.S. walks away from its flagship FIFA TV bribery case

Rule Changes

Partnering with Trump as U.S. prepares to co‑host 2026 World Cup

U.S. prosecutors spent years proving that Hernan Lopez, a former Fox International Channels CEO, and the sports marketing firm Full Play bribed South American soccer officials to lock down lucrative TV rights. A Brooklyn jury convicted them in 2023, a judge threw those convictions out, an appeals court revived them in July 2025—and now the government is telling the Supreme Court it wants the whole case dismissed in “the interests of justice.”

Updated Dec 11, 2025