A Governance Crisis Looms
Jordan’s football governing body announced that the long‑delayed prize money for the 2025 Arab Cup final finally reached the players and staff after a wait of eight months.
Prince Ali bin Hussein, president of the Jordan Football Association, said the payment was finally disbursed, but he did not let the moment pass without a sharp rebuke of FIFA.
He accused the world governing body of blackmail, claiming that FIFA had offered verbal assurances of assistance to Jordan’s FA in exchange for his public endorsement of Gianni Infantino during the contentious World Cup negotiations.
The controversy is tied to the aborted plan to sell exclusive commercial rights to the World Cup, a proposal that was shelved amid backlash from national associations and confederations.
FIFA issued an apology for the abandoned scheme but used the occasion to reaffirm its confidence in Infantino, a stance reiterated after a crisis meeting held in Morocco.
Despite receiving the funds, Prince Ali made clear that his opposition to Infantino’s leadership remains unchanged, stating that his federation and he will not vote for or endorse the Swiss president.