Gianni Infantino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gianni Infantino
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Infantino in 2020
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| 9th President of FIFA | |
| Assumed office 26 February 2016 |
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| Vice President | Ángel María Villar David Chung Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa |
| Preceded by | Issa Hayatou (acting) Sepp Blatter |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino
23 March 1970 Brig, Valais, Switzerland |
| Spouse | Leena Al Ashqar |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Fribourg |
| Awards |  Order of Friendship Star of Service |
| Signature |  |
Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino, born on March 23, 1970, is a Swiss-Italian football leader. He has been the president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) since February 26, 2016. He was re-elected in 2019 and again in 2023. In 2020, he also became a member of the International Olympic Committee.
As FIFA president, he oversaw the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He called both tournaments "the best World Cup ever." He also played a big part in choosing Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Under his leadership, FIFA started putting his name on the FIFA Club World Cup trophy.
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Early Life and Education
Infantino was born in Brig, Switzerland, on March 23, 1970. His parents were Italian immigrants. He has citizenship in both Switzerland and Italy. He studied law at the University of Fribourg. He speaks French, German, and Italian as his first languages. He also speaks Arabic, English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Career in Football
Infantino worked at the International Center for Sports Studies (CIES). This center is part of the University of Neuchâtel.
Working with UEFA
Infantino joined UEFA in August 2000. UEFA is the organization that runs football in Europe. In 2004, he became the Director of UEFA's Legal Affairs. He later became the Deputy General Secretary in 2007. In October 2009, he became the Secretary General of UEFA.
During his time at UEFA, new rules like Financial Fair Play were started. These rules help football clubs manage their money better. He also helped expand the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament to include 24 teams. He was involved in creating the UEFA Nations League and the UEFA Euro 2020.
Leading FIFA
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Infantino was part of FIFA's Reform Committee. In October 2015, he decided to run for FIFA president. He promised to make the FIFA World Cup bigger, with forty teams.
On February 26, 2016, he was elected FIFA President. He was the first Italian to hold this position. In 2017, Infantino spoke about travel rules affecting several countries. He said that any team that qualifies for a World Cup must be able to enter the host country.
2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia
In 2019, Infantino received the Order of Friendship medal from Vladimir Putin. This was after the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He called the 2018 World Cup the "best World Cup ever."
Supporting Women's Rights
In Iran, women had not been allowed in stadiums to watch men's football games since 1979. Infantino spoke to Iranian football leaders about this. He said that women should be allowed into stadiums.
In September 2019, a woman named Sahar Khodayari died after trying to enter a stadium. Infantino said:
Our position is clear and firm. Women have to be allowed into football stadiums in Iran. Now is the moment to change things. Infantino, September 2019
After this, FIFA said Iranian women would be able to attend games. On October 10, 2019, over 3,500 women watched a World Cup qualifier in Azadi Stadium.
2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
The 2022 FIFA World Cup was held in Qatar. There were concerns about the rights of migrant workers who built the stadiums. Some groups said workers faced difficult conditions. Infantino said that the workers were proud to help build the stadiums. He also said that Western countries were being "hypocritical" for criticizing Qatar. He felt that Europe should apologize for its own history before judging others.
2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia
On October 31, 2023, Infantino announced that Saudi Arabia would host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. FIFA made rules that limited which continents could bid for the 2034 World Cup. This made it much easier for Saudi Arabia to be chosen.
Infantino has a good relationship with Saudi leaders. He has often promoted Saudi sports events. He also talked with Greece and Egypt about possibly hosting the 2030 World Cup with Saudi Arabia. However, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco decided to bid together for 2030. This made Saudi Arabia decide not to bid for 2030.
In October 2023, FIFA announced that the first three games of the 2030 World Cup would be in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. The rest would be in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. This meant only Asian or Oceanian countries could bid for 2034. FIFA also sped up the bidding process. Saudi Arabia announced its bid very quickly. Infantino encouraged Asian football groups to support Saudi Arabia's bid.
FIFA Club World Cup Changes
In 2024, FIFA decided to engrave Infantino's name on the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup trophy. The trophy also includes words praising him and calling this a "golden era" for club football.
Questions About His Actions
In July 2016, Infantino was questioned about some of his actions as president. This included flights he took and hiring decisions. He was also asked about not signing his contract with FIFA right away.
The investigation found that he had not broken any rules. However, some people still criticized his actions. For example, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said Infantino had not kept his promises about being open and fair.
In July 2020, more questions came up about Infantino meeting with the Attorney General of Switzerland. Infantino said that meeting with the Attorney General was completely normal and legal.
Personal Life
Infantino is married to Leena Al Ashqar. They have four children. Since October 2021, he has also spent time in Doha, Qatar, where he rents a house. Two of his children go to school there. He has said his main home is still in Canton Zurich, Switzerland. He explained that being in Qatar was important for organizing the World Cup. In November 2022, it was confirmed he moved his official home to Zug, Switzerland. Infantino is a fan of the Italian football club Inter Milan.
Awards and Recognition
- Russian Order of Friendship (2019)
- Indonesian Star of Service (2023)
- Asian Football Confederation Diamond of Asia (2023)
See also
In Spanish: Gianni Infantino para niños
