Politicians, private jets and power – the life of a Fifa president
Gianni Infantino’s high-profile visit to Colombia, including attendance at the inauguration of its new president, illustrates how the Fifa president cultivates relationships with football officials and political leaders worldwide. The article examines the power and privileges attached to the role as Infantino seeks to restore normality after controversy over a proposed private-equity sale involving World Cup commercial and ticketing operations.
Infantino travels extensively to visit Fifa’s 211 member associations, attend confederation meetings and oversee tournaments, using a Qatar Airways executive jet that allowed up to three flights a day during the 2026 World Cup. His security arrangements and salary have also drawn attention: Canadian authorities rejected a request for a head-of-state-level motorcade before the Fifa Congress in Vancouver, while his pay has risen to three times its level when he was elected in 2016. Uefa’s threatened boycott of Fifa competitions remains unresolved and may be tested at the Under-20 World Cup in Poland.
- Infantino’s role combines global football leadership with political relationship-building.
- Private jets, security and salary underline Fifa’s president’s influence.
- Uefa’s boycott threat could test Infantino’s authority soon.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
FIFA's president must maintain relationships with 211 member associations across six continents, oversee complex global tournaments, and navigate intricate diplomatic relationships with political leaders and football officials worldwide. The extensive travel and associated security arrangements are operational necessities rather than luxuries, comparable to those of other international organisation leaders; a private executive jet enables rapid response to crises and maintains the mobility required for such a role. Infantino's salary increase, whilst substantial, reflects the complexity of modernising a large international sports institution and bringing it to standards expected of major global organisations.
The case against
The scale of Infantino's privileges—including private jet use for up to three flights daily and salary increases to three times 2016 levels—reflects precisely the kind of power concentration and institutional excess that FIFA has been repeatedly criticised for, particularly given its history of corruption and governance failures. The rejection of his security requests by Canadian authorities and the unilateral pursuit of controversial commercial deals suggest a leader prioritising personal status and authority over the transparency and restraint necessary to rebuild institutional trust. Such arrangements signal that FIFA's reform agenda is more rhetorical than substantive, undermining the credibility the organisation claims to be restoring.