Gianni Infantino has become one of the most recognizable figures in football during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
While his presidency has faced criticism, including a formal complaint to the International Olympic Committee over an alleged breach of political neutrality following a controversial intervention by the U.S. President Donald Trump, there is no denying that he has helped expand the global reach of the world's most popular sport.
Since taking office in 2016, Infantino has overseen major changes to the FIFA World Cup, reshaping its format, global footprint, and overall commercial success.
One of his biggest initiatives was expanding the tournament from 32 to 48 teams. Infantino called the new format a huge success, pointing to record-breaking ticket sales, more than 6.6 million fans attending matches, and strong television audiences around the world. He said the expanded tournament fulfilled FIFA's goal of bringing the global football community together.
“This has not just been, and is not just, the greatest (FIFA) World Cup of all time. It is the greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed and seen, and we are all part of it, and for this I thank you very much, Mr President,” Infantino said in comments directed to President Trump.
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“Full stadiums, seven million people in the stadiums, tens of millions in the cities in America, in Canada, in Mexico, billions in front of their TV,” he further added.
Is Gianni Infantino Leaving FIFA?
Gianni Infantino is not expected to leave FIFA anytime soon.
His current term runs through 2027, and he is widely expected to secure a fourth term when FIFA holds its presidential election at the FIFA Congress in 2027.
Although UEFA officials and some UK politicians have recently urged football associations to consider leaving FIFA over ongoing governance and regulatory disputes, Infantino continues to enjoy overwhelming support from FIFA's member associations. More than 200 national federations have officially backed his bid to remain FIFA president, making another term highly likely.
