FIFA President Gianni Infantino chose not to respond to inquiries regarding his future as he attended the opening of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, amidst ongoing scrutiny following his decision to abandon the sale of World Cup profits.
Infantino was seen conversing with Cezary Kulesza, the president of the Polish soccer federation, as the host country, Poland, faced Argentina during the tournament’s inaugural match on Saturday.
“There will be ample opportunity to discuss this, but the appropriate time and place will come. It’s not today, and it’s not here, but for now, we are here to enjoy football,” Infantino stated to Sky News upon his arrival at the venue.
“At FIFA, we are committed to ensuring that every part of the world has the chance and dignity to improve, participate, and celebrate the sport we all cherish,” he added.
When asked if he had contemplated resignation or if he still plans to seek a fourth term next year, Infantino did not provide a response.
In the weeks following the collapse of his World Cup profit plan, Infantino has largely remained out of the public eye, facing pushback from numerous FIFA member nations and some internal officials.
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Last week, European nations, which make up a quarter of the 24 teams participating, retracted their boycott threat after receiving assurances from FIFA that the controversial plan would not be reinstated.
Legal disputes stemming from the initial proposal continue, with European representatives playing a significant role in efforts to remove Infantino ahead of the FIFA elections next year.
On Thursday, FIFA filed a court document accusing UEFA of orchestrating a “smear campaign against FIFA and its leadership” as the European soccer organization seeks to obtain evidence connected to the FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative.
Infantino angered soccer officials worldwide in July, shortly after the conclusion of the World Cup, when details of his $20 billion US subsidiary, which would manage FIFA’s commercial rights including those of the World Cup, were disclosed by The Times.
This new entity was set to be 20% owned by investors led by a New York fund established by Joshua Kushner, which initially intended to offer $20 million to each of FIFA’s 211 member federations, with a mid-September deadline for acceptance.
Infantino rescinded his proposal within four days, facing backlash not only from UEFA but also receiving support from the Asian Football Confederation and North America’s CONCACAF, along with criticism from senior officials within FIFA.