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FIFA president Gianni Infantino was working towards a World Cup hosted in Saudi Arabia as early as 2020, New York Times investigative reporter Tariq Panja has revealed.
It’s another blow to Australian football officials who had been hoping to land the 2034 Men’s World Cup after the successful hosting of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Australia withdrew from the running last month after a surprisingly quick process, brought forwards by at least three years, during which Saudi Arabia launched their bid just minutes after FIFA had announced they were accepting bids, and the head of Asian Confederation followed up with a supportive statement hours later.
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But Infantino, who took power at FIFA promising a new era free from the 2015 corruption scandal which stained the organisation’s image, had already been working behind the scenes to “guide” the tournament to the rich Arab state for several years, according to the report.
The story, calling the FIFA boss the Saudi ‘Inside Man’, stated Infantino met with Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte in September 2020 – his first visit outside Switzerland since the Covid pandemic began – and pitched a unique three-continent bid in 2030.
In the meeting – which was publicised by FIFA – Infantino said he wanted Italy to be the European host, with Saudi Arabia representing Asia and Egypt representing Africa, with the Egyptians having already backed the plan.
However Conte could not accept the idea because Italian relations with Egypt were strained by the 2016 killing of a young Italian journalist in Cairo, and the continued concerns over Saudi Arabia’s role in the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
Infantino also offered the plan to Greece while making several attempts to support Saudi investment in the sport.
“How can we control that growing the game, and the values of the game, are leading the way, and not personal relationships?” Lise Klaveness, Norway’s football federation president and a FIFA governance critic, said in the report.
FIFA said nothing improper had occurred in the World Cup bidding process and said Infantino had not “triggered or initiated” discussions with nations about Saudi Arabia’s plan.
In the end the 2030 event was handed to three continents – Europe, Africa and South America – ensuring Asia was the only realistic option to host the 2034 event, to be played in Saudi Arabia.
