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Analysis: Infantino lays out football’s future spoils in FIFA’s World Cup carve up

IMAGO

IMAGO | Giovanni Infantino, president of FIFA.

In a back room deal, FIFA has spread the 2030 World Cup among six nations and three continents, while all but handing the 2034 finals to Saudi Arabia

In an epoch defining day, the FIFA president also appointed a loyalist as his new secretary general, cementing his authority at the top of the global game.

Why it matters: Saudi’s effective anointment as World Cup 2034 hosts confirms their presence at football’s top table, with the potential to pour billions more petro-dollars into the game.

The perspective: Activist and former federation executive says that FIFA has been untransparent and should be clear about its profit motive.

5 October 2023 - 5:20 PM

On Tuesday afternoon I took a call from a senior football official, someone who is intimately connected in football’s international corridors of power.

Over the course of a 22 minute conversation, we talked about many things, including the destination of the 2030 World Cup.

It has been an open secret for some months that a deal had probab

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