The ugly side of the beautiful game
What happens when two of the world’s sleaziest men join forces to put up one of the world’s largest and most important sporting events?
FIFA, the international governing body of football, may have started out in the 1970s as an idealistic organization—sincerely convinced of the power of the beautiful game to bring nations together through sport, united in the belief that fairness, sportsmanship, and, of course, talent on the pitch, transcended borders.
It nevertheless grew exponentially, both in authority and in finances. The original makeshift office in a small Zurich building gave way to gleaming modern headquarters nearby, a massive glass and concrete complex complete with a fitness center, a meditation room, and a proper football pitch.
And three beach football pitches, too.
In the game of growth and greed
Where there is growth, sadly, there is greed. Allegations of corruption were widespread. Due to my proximity to FIFA at one point in my life— thanks to a FIFA-affiliated ex—I regularly heard rumors of kickbacks, of lavish per diems for ExCom members, and of Ebel watches being gifted to top officials.
Everyone whispered about the goings-on, but no one seemed to be shocked.
And then the indictments for corruption began piling up in 2015—brought forth by the US Justice Department—implicating that some of FIFA’s key officials and associates around the world, all the way to then FIFA-president, Sepp Blatter, whom I had gotten to know fairly well. Sponsorships dried up overnight, supporters became scarce, and the fate of the organization was unclear.
Blatter eventually resigned (reluctantly, I imagine) to avoid prosecution, perhaps, as no charges were ever brought against him.
A playbook that never changes
One would think that FIFA post-Blatter would be a more transparent organization. But his successor, Gianni Infantino, is simply unctuous—a barking seal in a circus (in a tailored suit that manages to look shabby), ready to leap at the command of broadcasters, advertisers, and most importantly, his fellow laureate in sleaze, Donald Trump, in the pursuit of revenue at the expense of the beautiful game.
It’s so American, isn’t it? Especially in their approach to regime change and imperial domination.
The playbook never changes. Slap corruption charges against FIFA officials—not without reason, I will grant that—send a few to jail, engineer the resignation of the sitting president, and install a new and speciously clean replacement who promises to overhaul an organization whose reputation is in tatters.
A year later, is anyone surprised that the United States wins the bid, together with Canada and Mexico, to host the 2026 World Cup? And that Infantino moved to Florida to be closer to Trump? They are, after all, comrades in smarm, both looking to make a quick buck (in addition to Infantino’s $6 million annual salary, not to mention Trump’s never-ending—and clearly profitable—grifts), both tainting everything they touch.
A travesty of values
Those three-minute “hydration breaks” every 22 minutes of play, no matter the state of the game? Spectators in the stadium see the players annoyed and befuddled at the unwelcome stoppage. But on our screens, Fox News runs beer commercials by advertisers charged a premium for airtime. Negotiated and approved by Infantino himself.
The extortionately high ticket prices? No doubt set with the assent of Infantino. Shops closed in Mexico in the cities where matches are being held, so that only FIFA-branded merchandise can be sold? Another genius plan with his stamp of approval.
The much-respected Somali referee is about to make his World Cup debut, only to be denied entry into the US despite being in possession of a valid visa and diplomatic passport? Infantino told everyone to just chill.
And let’s not start with the sheer cruelty meted out to the Iranian team with regard to their presence on US soil. It’s a travesty of the values FIFA is supposed to represent.
Part of the grift
I’m not even going to get into the irregularities in refereeing that seem to have become more blatant every time a Global South nation that’s not a South American football powerhouse comes close to clinching a decisive upset over a “white” team.
Just think—the red cards that were never handed, the fouls that were never called, the matches that were abruptly ended during penalty time, the dubious offsides, the refusal to consult the VAR (the video assistant referee) when goals are being contested.
Yes, the tournament was expanded to allow more countries considered on the margins of international football to participate—ostensibly in the spirit of diversity and inclusivity—but really, they were meant to be filler games to pad the schedule, extend broadcast rights, shill for more sponsorship, and collect the $15,000 visa bond for those who could barely afford to pay it.
Part of the grift, really. They were never expected to win any matches.
Not the promised land it appears to be
The US has imposed all these stupid visa restrictions and exclusions, not to mention the threat of ICE arresting spectators on suspicion of being illegal immigrants with Infantino’s tacit approval—out of fear of the “other”: the Muslim immigrants, the non-whites whose presence threatens the privilege whiteness enjoys in its 50 states.
But that fear, I sometimes think, is not that they will exhaust public services, steal jobs, and drain funds—rather, it’s that these so-called undesirables will realize that America is not, in fact, the promised land. And that it’s a decaying empire long past its prime, with decrepit infrastructure, debased institutions, and compromised freedoms.
That’s why only grubby creeps like Gianni Infantino think it’s paradise.
