The president of the Jordan Football Association, Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, has accused FIFA’s leadership under Gianni Infantino of using coercive tactics by linking financial assistance to public support for Infantino’s re-election bid. Speaking on social media, Prince Ali said that during the recent World Cup, he was informed that endorsing Infantino would help the Jordanian FA resolve longstanding financial issues, including unpaid prize money from the FIFA Arab Cup held in Qatar last December.
Jordan reached the final of the 2025 Arab Cup, an event organized by FIFA, and was reportedly entitled to $4.2 million as runners-up. However, Prince Ali stated that his federation has yet to receive the funds, despite FIFA’s reported financial reserves. He described the situation as “blackmail” and criticized FIFA’s leadership for months of unresponsiveness to Jordan’s concerns, including difficulties faced by Jordanian fans attempting to enter the United States for the World Cup and the high cost of tickets.
Prince Ali, who also serves as head of the West Asian Football Federation, emphasized Jordan’s commitment to ethical standards and made clear that his federation will not endorse Infantino’s continuation as FIFA president. Infantino has been in office since 2016 and is currently facing growing opposition amid controversies, including his failed plan to sell a stake in future World Cup profits to private investors—a project now abandoned following internal criticism within FIFA.
The backlash against Infantino has widened, with several football associations reportedly withdrawing their support ahead of the March presidential election. These include European countries such as Greece, England, Wales, Finland, and Serbia. Within FIFA, senior officials have expressed dismay over the fallout from the private investment initiative. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström described the situation as a “sad and reproachable series of events,” while FIFA’s chief of global development, former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, called the withdrawal of the project “absolutely necessary,” emphasizing the importance of transparency and integrity in the organization.
Prince Ali’s remarks came as Infantino reportedly convened a crisis meeting of FIFA staff in Rabat, Morocco, amid pressures to secure his leadership position. FIFA declined to comment on Prince Ali’s accusations when approached.
The ongoing dispute highlights challenges within FIFA’s governance and the tensions faced by smaller football associations in navigating relationships with the organization’s leadership. The situation raises broader questions about financial transparency and the influence of politics in global football administration ahead of the upcoming election.