FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called senior officials to crisis talks in Morocco as pressure mounts on his position, following accusations of blackmail from the Jordan FA president.
The emergency meeting comes after plans to sell £3.1 billion in World Cup stakes were scrapped, with Infantino facing harsh scrutiny and calls to step down from 91 countries.
Allegations and Backlash
Jordan FA president Ali bin Hussein accused Infantino of blackmail, alleging that FIFA withheld support until an endorsement was given. He said: "It is clear the problem really is with leadership. For months, FIFA has been refusing to help us on any of these or other matters - until it was verbally communicated to me during the World Cup that if I endorsed Infantino it would go a long way to helping our FA out."
Hussein also highlighted issues such as visa problems for Jordanian fans, taxes imposed by the US government, and unpaid reward money for the Arab Cup, stating: "The whole situation amounts to blackmail and we refuse to give in to that."
Calls for Resignation
UEFA and CONCACAF have both called for Infantino to step down, with Jordan being the first Asian nation to do so. To oust the president, 106 nations need to back the motion.
Infantino's senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned last week, describing the FFE plan as a "bad deal for football." FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom also addressed the scheme in an email, calling it a "sad and reproachable series of events...which thankfully concluded with the project being permanently abandoned."
Wenger Speaks Out
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, FIFA's chief of global football development, broke his silence on Tuesday, saying the withdrawal was "absolutely necessary and beyond question." He added: "I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity."
The meeting in Morocco is expected to be held on Wednesday as the organisation grapples with internal strife. The Star has approached FIFA for comment.
