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Tag: Gianni Infantino

  • FIFA President, Infantino, congratulates Gusau and new NFF Board

    FIFA President, Infantino, congratulates Gusau and new NFF Board

    President of world football-ruling body, FIFA, Mr. Gianni Infantino has sent a message of congratulations to the new President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau and members of his new Board, following the Elective General Assembly of the NFF that took place in Benin City last Friday.

    In a letter dated 5th October and personally signed by him, world’s football supremo wrote: “Please accept my warmest greetings and sincere congratulations for your recent election as President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

    “Your knowledge and leadership, your passion and experience will undoubtedly have an important impact on the development of our beautiful game in Nigeria. Convinced of the potential of football in the country, you can count on my personal support and the help of FIFA to achieve this your goal. The doors of the Home of FIFA are always open if you wish to discuss our sport, its development and the promotion of its values.

    “I also seize the opportunity to convey my felicitations to the Vice-Presidents and the Members of the Executive Committee elected with you and I wish you and your team good luck and success for all the challenges that lie ahead, in creating and witnessing a lasting legacy for the future of football in Nigeria…”

    Gusau, an unassuming but thoroughbred administrator, rose through the ranks in the game, serving as Team Manager of Club 50, Sambo Babes and Zamfara United football clubs in Zamfara State as well as Kassim Stars FC in Sokoto State, before his election to the board of Zamfara State Football Association. He is the current Chairman of Zamfara State Football Association and has served as Chairman of the Zamfara State Sports Commission.

    At the national level, he served two terms as Chairman of Chairmen of Nigeria Football under the administration of Amaju Melvin Pinnick, before his election last Friday as Nigeria Football’s supremo.

    At the continental level, Gusau has served in the organizing committee for the African Nations Championship, is a CAF Safety and Security Officer and is presently a Member of CAF’s organizing committee for youth competitions, viz U17, U20 and U23.

  • Infantino reveals how Nigeria can host FIFA competitions

    Infantino reveals how Nigeria can host FIFA competitions

    FIFA President, Gianni Infantino on Thursday, in Abuja, revealed how Nigeria can be made a destination for top Grade A football matches and FIFA competitions.

    Infantino gave the insight when the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare took him on a tour of the renovated main bowl of the Moshood Abiola national stadium.

    The FIFA boss, who was visibly happy with the re-grassed pitch at the stadium, said well maintained stadia with good pitches was key to hosting grade A matches.

    He said FIFA was ready to work more closely with Nigeria to develop the game and host more grade A matches in the country.

    “We (FIFA) have to make sure when a country, when a government with the President, the minister and private persons are investing in football, in stadia, we work with them to give something back.

    “It’s obvious that stadiums like this (Moshood Abiola stadium) and others in Nigeria deserve the best quality games.

    “They deserve top national team games, top club games and it’s not just about Nigerian football or African football, it’s about global football,

    “We are working together to see what kind of new opportunities, competitions we can bring for men and women to fill this stadium and make the heart of the stadium beat for fantastic spectacle that all of Nigerian love, which is football,” he said.

    Earlier, the minister said the Federal Government will continue to invest in sports development and facilities.

    The FIFA President, in company of the minister, had earlier visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the State house, as part of his engagement.

  • You are either in or out, FIFA warns Super League clubs

    You are either in or out, FIFA warns Super League clubs

    FIFA President Gianni Infantino told the 12 breakaway European Super League clubs on Tuesday that they could not be “half in, half out” of the established football system.

    He added that they must face up to the reality of their decision.

    Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool and Juventus are among the members of the proposed new league.

    But UEFA has threatened to ban them from domestic and international competition and vowed to fight the move.

    “If some elect to go their own way, then they must live with the consequences of their choice. They are responsible for their choice —- concretely this means, either you are in, or you are out.

    “You cannot be half in and half out. This has to be absolutely clear,” Infantino told UEFA’s congress in Montreux, Switzerland.

    Infantino’s comments came after the Super League had called on Monday for talks with UEFA and FIFA about their new competition’s place in the football “ecosystem”.

    The FIFA head, a former UEFA general secretary, repeated his opposition to the breakaway project.

    “We can only and strongly disapprove of a Super League which is a closed shop, breakaway from current institutions,” Infantino said. “No doubt whatsoever of FIFA’s disapproval. Full support to UEFA.

    “We hope that everything will go back to normal, that everything will be settled, but always with respect, always with solidarity and with the interests of national, European and global football.”

  • Infantino’s message to Pinnick after winning Fifa Council seat

    Infantino’s message to Pinnick after winning Fifa Council seat

    Fifa president Gianni Infantino is optimistic NFF president Amaju Pinnick will make a meaningful contribution to the development of football after his election as a member of the Fifa Council.

    Pinnick clinched the highly coveted seat after defeating Malawian FA president Walter Nyamilandu during the 43rd Caf General Assembly in Rabat.

    The 50-year-old, thus, became the third Nigerian administrator to achieve the feat after Oyo Orok Oyo and Amos Adamu.

    Infantino has praised the victory of the NFF boss and looks forward to working with him as he aims to take football across the world to a greater height.

    “I would like herewith to reiterate my warmest congratulations to you for your election as Member of the Fifa Council, at the 43 Caf Ordinary and Elective General Assembly, held on Friday in Rabat,” Infantino said.

    “I have no doubt that your experience, your knowledge, not to mention your passion, your sense of consensus and your personal qualities, will help you to meet future challenges at the service of the world football community.

    “I am convinced that, as Fifa Council Member, you will make an important contribution to Fifa and, most importantly, to the development of our sport, which unites us all.

    “Sending you my best wishes of luck, courage and success for all the challenges that lie ahead, I look forward, dear Pinnick, to working with you already at the next meeting of the Fifa Council, which will be held by videoconference this Friday, 19 March.”

    Goal

  • Blatter slams FIFA committee after probe closed against Infantino

    Blatter slams FIFA committee after probe closed against Infantino

    Former FIFA chief Joseph Blatter has criticised world football’s governing body after its ethics committee decided to drop a case against current President Gianni Infantino.

    “Nothing surprises me anymore,’’ Blatter, who was forced out in 2015 by the ethics committee, said on Thursday.

    According to him, FIFA’s controlling bodies are no longer independent under Gianni Infantino

    On Wednesday, FIFA said that Infantino will not face sanctions over alleged ethics breaches because no conduct violations had taken place.

    FIFA’s ethics committee had launched preliminary investigations into several alleged transgressions, including a FIFA-booked private flight from Suriname to Geneva, and secret meetings between Infantino and Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber.

    Report says Infantino is still subject to criminal investigations in Switzerland, based on the suspicion that he instigated top prosecutor Lauber to abuse his office.

  • Former FIFA President Blatter calls for Infantino’s suspension

    Former FIFA President Blatter calls for Infantino’s suspension

    Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has called for the suspension of his successor, Gianni Infantino, by the global football body after criminal proceedings were opened against Infantino in Switzerland.

    Swiss authorities said on Thursday that proceedings had been launched against the current FIFA boss by a special prosecutor looking into meetings he had with the Swiss Attorney-General, Michael Lauber.

    Lauber and Infantino have, however, denied any wrongdoing.

    “For me, the situation is clear that the FIFA ethics committee has to open a case against Mr Infantino and so it has to suspend him,” Blatter, 84, said in a statement to Reuters.

    FIFA did not immediately reply to a request for comments on Blatter’s statement.

    Blatter, who was FIFA president for 17 years, himself was suspended and later banned by FIFA’s ethics committee after he became the subject of criminal proceedings in Switzerland in 2015.

    The investigation is still ongoing and Blatter, who has denied any wrongdoing, has not been charged.

    It centred on a payment of two million Swiss francs (1.6 million pounds) made in 2011 to then UEFA President Michel Platini with Blatter’s approval.

    Both Blatter and Platini have insisted the payment was for work the Frenchman had done a decade earlier.

    Blatter was banned for eight years, but the sentence was reduced to six on appeal, and Platini also for eight years, and reduced to four.

    Platini also denied any wrongdoing.

    The FIFA ethics committee is divided into an investigatory and an adjudicatory chamber, which since 2017 have been headed by Colombian Maria Claudia Rojas and Greek Vassilios Skouris respectively.

    They replaced Swiss Cornel Borbely and German Hans-Joachim Eckert who were ousted when the decision-making FIFA Council decided not to renew their mandates.

  • FIFA President, Gianni Infantino faces criminal charges

    FIFA President, Gianni Infantino faces criminal charges

    The Swiss special federal public prosecutor has opened criminal proceedings against FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

    The proceedings follow an investigation by the prosecutor, Stefan Keller, into complaints regarding meetings between Infantino, Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber and the chief public prosecutor of the Upper Valais, Rinaldo Arnold.

    A statement from the Swiss federal council said Keller has concluded that there are “indications of criminal conduct” in connection with those meetings.

    The statement added: “This concerns abuse of public office (Article 312 of the Swiss Criminal Code), breach of official secrecy (Article 320 of the Swiss Criminal Code), assisting offenders (Article 305 of the Swiss Criminal Code) and incitement to these acts. Additional criminal acts and the commencement of further proceedings remain reserved.”

    It was confirmed in the same statement that Keller is seeking approval from the relevant Swiss parliamentary committees to open criminal proceedings against Lauber.

    The statement concluded: “The presumption of innocence applies to attorney general Michael Lauber, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and chief public prosecutor Rinaldo Arnold.”

    Lauber and Infantino met twice in 2016, the year Infantino was elected FIFA president.

    Infantino was asked about the case at last month’s FIFA Council meeting, and described the formal complaints against him as “absurd”.

    “To meet with the head prosecutor or attorney general of Switzerland is perfectly legitimate and it’s perfectly legal,” he said.

  • BREAKING: FIFA pledges 32-team Women's World Cup

    BREAKING: FIFA pledges 32-team Women's World Cup

    Fifa president Gianni Infantino has pledged to increase the size of the Women’s World Cup to 32 teams and double its prize money, and launch a women’s Club World Cup.

    After calling the current tournament “the best women’s World Cup ever”, Infantino set out a five-point plan to make sure football “seizes this opportunity”.
    Bidding for the 2023 tournament – which has yet to be allocated and was set to contain 24 sides – may have to restart to accommodate the extra teams.
     

  • FIFA president Infantino set to run for another term

    FIFA president Infantino set to run for another term

    Gianni Infantino is set to serve a second term as Fifa president after being the only candidate entered in June’s election.

    The 48-year-old succeeded Sepp Blatter as the head of world football’s governing body in February 2016.

    The election will take place on 5 June in Paris before the women’s World Cup, which starts two days later in France.

    Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega said he would stand against Infantino but did not garner enough support.

    Vega, 47, needed the backing of five of Fifa’s 211 member federations.

    Infantino has introduced plans to increase the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 from 2026.

    He has also proposed bringing the expansion forward to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with a decision on the idea expected when a feasibility study has been conducted.

  • 48-team World Cup in Qatar has wide support – FIFA

    48-team World Cup in Qatar has wide support – FIFA

    FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, said a majority of national soccer federations were in favour of expanding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams.

    Infantino said a decision would be made by March, although it was still not clear whether an enlarged tournament would be feasible as it would be “difficult” to stage in Qatar alone.

    Qatar has been locked in a bitter dispute with Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain that has complicated the prospect of sharing matches in an expanded tournament.

    Those countries, as well as Egypt, began a diplomatic and trade boycott of Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar denies the claims.

    FIFA last year voted to increase the size of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams, starting from 2026 but, since then, Infantino has been mulling the possibility of bringing the change forward to 2022.

    “We gathered the opinions as well of our members, the federations. So far, of course, the majority are in favour because 16 more teams participating not only means that 16 more countries will have World Cup fever.

    “But 50 or 60 countries will be able to dream of qualifying for the World Cup. Whether it is feasible or not is a different question,” Infantino told reporters.

    He said it was unlikely that Qatar, which has been planning for a 32-team tournament since it was awarded hosting rights in 2010, could manage 16 extra teams on its own.

    “Is it feasible to do it only in Qatar? Difficult probably. Is it feasible to have a few games played in neighbouring countries? Maybe this is an option.

    “Of course, I’m not naive enough to not know and read the news, and what’s going on, but we are in football not in politics and in football sometimes dreams come true,” he said.

    He added that he did not want to share details of discussions with Qatar with the media.

    Infantino said a decision needed to be made by March because the draw for the qualifying competition is in the summer.

    He said even with 16 additional teams, FIFA was committed to playing the tournament in the original 28-day period “because it was a difficult enough process to decide to move the World Cup to November or December.”

    He denied that it was too late to make the change.

    “For those who think it’s late, I’ve been told that the decision to move the World Cup in 1998 to 32 teams from 24 in 1994 was also taken only four years in advance so there is already a precedent,” he said.