Gianni, a Kingdom on a Thread…

This is the seemingly simple story of a deal that has all the makings of a wealth-generating, value-adding venture for everyone involved. But, due to other values, pressure from global powers, widespread ambition, and unusual concessions, it could easily spiral into one of the most dramatic catastrophes in the global economy.

It has always been known that the seemingly sustained and controlled growth of football as a fortune-generating industry meant an immediate advantage for the smaller players and the prospect of even greater riches for the top-tier ones. The distribution of revenue, especially from the World Cups, promised to bolster the coffers of peripheral federations in a way rarely seen before. With the increase in the number of teams qualifying for the World Cup finals, and the subsequent larger prize money, Gianni Infantino's promises as FIFA president were grand and secured the recurring support of many smaller nations.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) was among the foremost members who, almost blindly, boasted about paid trips to congresses, meetings, and symposiums. These events, while offering little of substance in person, spoke volumes to officials of questionable competence, elected under the guise of broad representation for their country or continent.

We know very well where a significant portion of the support for the leader of world football comes from. With more than enough financial cushion to divide and conquer, and skillfully playing his cards with the first 32-team Club World Cup and the first 48-team World Cup, Infantino has assembled a silent majority. This majority, almost blindly, travels the world, stays in luxury hotels, and, of course, rubber-stamps anything that comes out of Zurich.

But not everyone is asleep at the wheel, and the Swiss-Italian FIFA president probably didn't expect such a broad wall of opposition to his most closely guarded measure, which is nonetheless struggling to slip through the cracks.

The creation of a subsidiary company to manage the commercial aspects of the World Cup would never sit well with those who hold a truly democratic and inclusive view of the game. Even if it's only a minority stake, the idea of ceding a percentage to private interests creates an unacceptable roadblock, both for the precedent it sets and the door it opens. Any investor not connected to football (or one connected but focused on maximizing their investment for profit) would always prioritize financial results over the sporting component. Consequently, the competitive and organizational structure would always be dependent, directly or indirectly, on the profits generated by each tournament: more teams, more games. More games, more advertising and more television broadcasts. All together, more money.

Respect for the football calendar would always take a backseat. UEFA (along with Conmebol, AFC, and Concacaf) immediately pushed back, their geographical scale and unified support group evident in their single-voiced reaction.

Infantino likely did not anticipate such a widespread and harsh response. And he reacted clumsily. The dictatorial tendencies of FIFA's top leader were clear, as his primary defense has been financial. Everything in the supreme body of world football revolves around money, payments, rights, and positions. Even in broadcasting, FIFA seems ill-prepared for the new era of digital emergence, on-demand consumption, segmented products and consumers, and the need to adapt. Until now, FIFA has maximized negotiations based on digital television, but for the 2027 Women's World Cup and, even more so, for the 2030 World Cup, it will no longer be the key player, but just one among many consumption platforms.

The world is changing, in its habits and its conscience. UEFA's formal position, due to its speed and forcefulness, is the first sign that the path for Infantino, for his blind supporters, and for world football is anything but straightforward. As professional as players and coaches are, they are also human beings. Ultimately, they are the true protagonists of the game, and they must be the first to be heard on these radical changes.

Privatizing the game will never be a good path. Instead, it will lead to a kind of reset, where the fundamental pillars will once again become crucial to raising quality and keeping the stands full.

Infantino's economic-centric vision is, therefore, doomed to fail. The FIFA president seems to have been blinded by the apparent ease with which the business of the 20th and 21st centuries generates capital. And his seemingly impenetrable bubble has begun to burst, as evidenced by the statements of Carlos Cordeiro, his advisor for the last five years, who felt compelled to publicly distance himself from the new, audacious plan.

History tells us this is always the way with the all-powerful. In a flash, Infantino has begun to see his kingdom hanging by a thread…