According to RMC Sport, FIFA is facing unprecedented turmoil after the 2026 World Cup, as FIFA President Gianni Infantino's plans for a commercial company have been thwarted, and some employees have publicly called for a change in leadership.
French television station RMC Sport released an investigation on Monday revealing exclusive, anonymous testimonies from several FIFA employees who fear for their jobs and are hoping to retain them. The employees' deep unease about the current situation of the world's largest sports organization is linked to the ripple effects of the failed business plan previously exposed by the British newspaper The Times.
The reality of the crisis
FIFA's permanent and independent staff are closely monitoring the crisis. For them, the timely and successful hosting of the 2026 World Cup is a result of their behind-the-scenes efforts. That tournament, the first to be held in three countries—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—presents significant logistical challenges.
These employees actually travel the world, overseeing FIFA's various activities and offices across multiple continents. They also closely monitored the business plan disclosed by The Times, and the subsequent intense public and political uproar it generated both domestically and internationally.
How serious is the internal crisis?
French television station RMC Sport collected exclusive testimonies from a large number of employees on the condition that they remain anonymous to protect their jobs and career prospects. The media used this to understand the prevailing sentiments within the world's largest sports organization and to attempt to assess the true severity of the crisis.
These testimonies reveal that employees were extremely dissatisfied with Infantino's management style, especially after the failure of a business plan that had been expected to generate huge revenues. The plan ultimately devolved into an administrative and financial scandal, drawing strong criticism from continental football federations and national football associations.
Publicly calling for a change of leadership
It is worth noting that some employees have begun to publicly demand a change in FIFA's leadership. They believe that Infantino has lost his sense of prudent management and is now making unilateral decisions without consulting relevant stakeholders within the organization, leading to a series of failures.
A FIFA official stated, "This situation cannot continue. FIFA is facing a genuine crisis of confidence. The staff who have dedicated their time and effort to ensuring the success of the World Cup are extremely frustrated with the current management style."
Business plan failure triggers crisis
This internal turmoil stemmed from the failure of Gianni Infantino's commercial company plan. The plan, which aimed to leverage the FIFA brand to generate substantial revenue from multiple commercial projects, faced strong opposition from continental football federations and national football associations, and was ultimately shelved.
