The Full Trumpification of Fifa: A Shift in Power Dynamics

The Club World Cup saw a surprising appearance from US President Donald Trump, joining Fifa President Gianni Infantino on the pitch as Chelsea lifted the trophy. This spectacle was a far cry from the days of Sepp Blatter, who has since become a voice of reason in football's politics, criticizing the Saudi influence on the sport. Infantino's actions and words have been described as "post-truth politics," and his ambitions for a biannual 48-team tournament have left many stakeholders, including Uefa and national associations, worried about the sport's future.

Key Takeaways:

• The appearance of Donald Trump at the Club World Cup marked a significant moment in the normalization of authoritarian-leaning politics in football.
• Infantino's ambitions have no bounds, with discussions already underway for a biannual 48-team tournament.
• Fifa's new direction has been facilitated by the structure of the organization, which remains based on the same clientelistic model, with most voters - the national associations - dependent on money distribution.
• Infantino's leadership has been characterized as "the full Trumpification of Fifa," with a brazenness to his actions and a disregard for old norms and standards.
• The accelerated shift in power dynamics has left many stakeholders, including Uefa and national associations, worried about the future of the sport.
• The influence of Saudi Arabia on Fifa has been a major factor in Infantino's reign, with Sepp Blatter commenting that "we have lost football to Saudi Arabia."
• The lack of opposition to Infantino's direction has been facilitated by the structure of Fifa, which allows no "opposition party" and makes it difficult for anyone to speak out against his leadership.

Statistics:

• The Club World Cup saw a projected increase of $114m in revenue for Chelsea.
• The inaugural tournament was watched by billions - although Fifa resisted reporting the exact numbers.
• Fifa's collaboration with Saudi Arabia has led to a significant increase in the sport's revenue.
• The Club World Cup has been implemented without the input of all stakeholders, including Fifa's member associations.

Sources:

• Independent: Discussions for a biannual 48-team tournament are already underway.
• FifPro: Gianni Infantino has been described as "the man who thinks he is god."
• Fifa: Gianni Infantino has stated that the golden era of global club football has started.
• ntv: Sepp Blatter has commented on the Saudi influence on football.
• AP: Donald Trump was seen lingering on the pitch as Chelsea lifted the Club World Cup.