Five controversial proposals of Infantino’s FIFA

Gianni Infantino has endured a torrid time in recent months following several questionable activities on and off the pitch. The FIFA President barely finished basking in the euphoria of a hugely successful but controversial 2026 World Cup co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico, and has manufactured more trouble for the Switzerland-based world football governing body.

Infantino became President in the wake of former president Sepp Blatter’s corruption allegations- and eventual prosecution, then acquittal- but has raised lots of dust with eye-popping proposals, and we relive a few of the most controversial to date.

Creation of the FIFA Peace Prize

Infatino has revealed on occasions that he is friends with US President Donald Trump, and it is no surprise that the Italian has made several visits to the Oval Office to sooth Trump’s ego. Infantino however made the headlines with a proposed FIFA Peace Prize in the wake of Trump missing out on the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. Infantino, who stated that Trump deserves the prize for brokering international peace deals, got his Prize in late 2025 despite raised eyebrows in the international community. Infantino did not get FIFA council approval, and bypassed standard transparency protocols to award Trump the prize.

Expansion of club world cup

The FIFA Club World Cup was approved in 2023 and the first edition of the 32-team format was held in the US in 2025 to positive reviews. However, the 2022 proposal was met with strong pushback from players union, domestic leagues, and confederations. Despite the huge financial gains from the tournament, players burnout due to a crowded calendar was harped upon by stakeholders. However, Infantino and the FIFA Council marched on to approve the President’s wish.

World Cup hydration breaks

Hydration breaks were first introduced in football at the Brazil 2014 World Cup due to extreme heat conditions, and the decision was purely left to the referee to decide. However, FIFA mandated it for the 2026 World Cup- despite no council or general assembly approval- based on data it said was gathered at the 2025 Club World Cup. However, the hydration breaks became a commercial slot at the tournament and drew the ire of fans. Stakeholders also accused Infantino’s FIFA of turning football to an American-style sport of four quarters, but the president pushed back that FIFA made no profit from the breaks.

Biennial world cup

Infantino tasked Arsene Wenger, the body’s chief of global development, with selling his proposal of a World Cup tournament every two years in 2021. Infantino stressed the financial windfall of the proposal, and its benefit to lesser-known nations. Led by UEFA, the proposal was shot down and has not been mentioned thereafter.

Proposed private investors and creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise

Infantino took the world by surprise in his usual media style announcements with his plan to invite external investors to have a stake in FIFA’s commercial operations during its competitions, including the World Cup. He harped on the usual financial gains, and laid the gauntlet to associations and confederations to back his bold idea. While CAF stated it is considering the proposal, UEFA has rejected the move, and has decided to boycott the World Cup if FIFA continues with the proposal.

Daily Trust