Gianni Infantino spent much of the past decade projecting complete control over world football, expanding FIFA competitions, growing revenues and facing down critics with little apparent political cost.
But just weeks after overseeing the successful conclusion of the first 48-team World Cup, the FIFA president finds himself confronting the most serious threat to his leadership since taking office in 2016.
What was intended to be a landmark financial initiative instead became a political disaster.
Infantino's proposal to bring private equity investment into FIFA's commercial operations collapsed within days after fierce resistance from confederations, national federations and senior figures inside FIFA itself.
Although the governing body formally abandoned the project, the fallout has continued to intensify, raising questions about whether the 56-year-old can recover enough support to secure another presidential term.
