Can the beautiful game get any uglier? Apparently yes, as long as Fifa’s president Gianni Infantino is in charge. The reports that he wants to sell shares in a $20bn (£15bn) World Cup spin-off venture linked to Donald Trump have been met with outrage around the world.
Uefa, European football’s governing body, has said it will “kill it” and that the plans “cross a line”.
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
Shorts
While it’s reassuring to hear such strong language, the problem is that Infantino has crossed a fair few lines already. The decision to reverse the ban on American striker Folarin Balogun for his red card during the World Cup following intervention from the US President was a pretty big line. Then there’s the “hydration” – sorry, commercial – breaks during the World Cup, and the absurd half-time show which was a gift to advertisers.
