Saudi Arabia Backs Infantino Amid FIFA Financing Crisis

Saudi Arabia, the host of the 2034 World Cup, has publicly backed FIFA President Gianni Infantino amid a month-long crisis over his failed plan to bring private financing into the tournament. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation issued a statement on Thursday, August 27, 2026, expressing support for Infantino's efforts to restore unity in football, a significant move that breaks with the critical stance taken by the Asian Football Confederation.

The crisis began in late July when FIFA revealed a proposal to create a commercial subsidiary, the FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would have allowed private investors to acquire a stake in the rights to major tournaments like the World Cup. The plan sparked immediate and fierce backlash, particularly from UEFA, whose threat to boycott World Cups was seen as a key factor in FIFA's decision to shelve the project. On August 5, FIFA President Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom issued a joint statement acknowledging mistakes and apologizing, committing not to proceed with the proposal.

In its statement, the Saudi federation welcomed this acknowledgment and the apology, calling them "important first steps." However, it...