FIFA boss Gianni Infantino accused of ‘abuse of power’ over VIP Miami airport perks for wife, kids: experts

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been accused by sports governance experts of a possible abuse of power after airport records showed VIP escorts were arranged in Miami for his wife and daughters. The concern is that FIFA resources may have been used to provide private travel benefits to his family, which could conflict with the organisation’s rule against officials using their positions for personal gain.

Miami International Airport logs record Infantino’s wife 46 times and the FIFA president 24 times since January 2024; his wife and daughters appear 125 times across 95 records, and he was absent on 63 occasions. Airport officials confirmed FIFA requested escorts, including for a trip to Doha with the daughters’ dogs, and said requests were approved when staff were available. The escorts can speed up airport procedures but cannot bypass security or customs checks; the airport handles more than 5,000 VIP requests a year.