The World Cup Sale and FIFA's Power

FIFA aims to monetize what should have been the biggest sporting event ever. The numbers are staggering: 1,248 players; approximately 300,000 accredited individuals involved in the organization; over 6.8 million spectators in stadiums. There were 104 matches played over 39 days. The final saw the presidents of the three host nations—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—alongside the King of Spain and the Spanish Prime Minister. And amidst them all, Gianni Infantino.

If they sought an image of the organization's immense power, there it was: Infantino treated on par with a head of state. But apparently, that's not enough. Infantino dislikes criticism and recently issued a statement accusing his detractors of being "driven by hatred." Immediately after, he announced the sale of the World Cup!

It's clear that the president of the body governing international football is the target of much envy; many of his critics likely have no other motive than to usurp his position. However, it's also true that FIFA operates with a notable lack of transparency and remains a very closed organization. Its president enjoys the symbolic status of a head of state but without being subject to the demands for transparency and accountability that are expected of national leaders.

For starters, FIFA is headquartered in Switzerland, a country that hosts numerous international organizations. Due to the very nature of these entities, overseeing their activities is particularly complex, as most of the effects of their decisions extend far beyond the territory where they are based. Simultaneously, the jobs, wealth generated, and prestige associated with the presence of these organizations represent significant benefits for the host country.

Such is the power of football that the most impactful criminal investigation into FIFA was conducted by US authorities during Sepp Blatter's tenure, ultimately leading to his downfall. Corruption was the central theme. Blatter, however, was later acquitted by Swiss courts, where the trial took place due to the International Federation's headquarters being in Switzerland. Today, in a context where football is gaining increasing prominence in the United States, it's legitimate to question whether an investigation of similar scope would encounter the same political and institutional environment.

This issue of FIFA's oversight is not unique. The greater the power of these international organizations, the more evident the scrutiny deficit surrounding them becomes. Ironically, Blatter is now one of Infantino's critics and advocates, he claims, for the transparency he failed to implement during his time as the top official.

It is in this context that Infantino seeks to sell 20% of the business of organizing the FIFA World Cups. FIFA Forward Enterprise will be the company holding this business, which he claims will be worth 20 billion. Media reports suggest that an investment group led by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, is interested in the operation. This issue is already generating controversy. In the United States, several political figures argue that business relations between FIFA and members of the Trump family should be investigated. We'll see what comes of it, but an organization with FIFA's economic, political, and media scale cannot continue to demand institutional deference without accepting scrutiny proportionate to the power it wields.

Yesterday, July 31st, UEFA announced a boycott of the World Cup sale. European countries will not participate in FIFA competitions if the plan is not withdrawn. However, the genie is already out of the bottle, and the sale of 20% of the World Cup provides FIFA with four billion to secure the goodwill of national federations.

The business model mirrors that adopted by Formula 1 long ago. But football and Formula 1 are not the same. At least, not in terms of political power: no F1 event gathers as much political clout as a World Cup final. And no one treats the president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) like a head of state. The problem has never been FIFA's power. The problem begins when an organization seeks to enjoy the status of a state without accepting the duties of transparency and accountability that such status inevitably imposes.

This week's 'Goal Right' goes to Benfica and Marco Silva, who defeated St. Gallen at the Luz and impressed. António Silva also impressed with a great performance; good luck to him in England.