Jordan FA president accuses FIFA, Infantino of blackmail over World Cup money

Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, president of Jordan's national football federation and a former FIFA vice president, accused FIFA of withholding $4.2 million in prize money owed to his country as financial leverage to force his endorsement of Gianni Infantino's re-election as FIFA president.

The allegation, made public by Prince Ali on social media according to ESPN's reporting, marks the first time a sitting member federation has accused FIFA of explicit financial coercion tied to Infantino's presidency. It expands a widening corruption scandal beyond Europe and North America into Asian football governance.

Jordan reached the final of the FIFA Arab Cup in December 2025 in Qatar. The Jordanian federation has not been paid the $4.2 million due to the runner-up, according to ESPN. Prince Ali stated that during the World Cup in June, when Jordan made their World Cup debut, he was told by FIFA officials that if he endorsed Infantino "it would go a long way to helping our FA out." He declined the endorsement and issued a statement, per ESPN: "We pride ourselves in Jordan in upholding ethical values. We did not endorse him before and certainly will not now. But the whole situation amounts to blackmail and we refuse to give in to that."

Infantino is under acute pressure to save his 11-year presidency. Global soccer leaders have turned against a plan he championed to sell a stake in future World Cup profits to investors led by Joshua Kushner's Thrive Eternal fund. The private equity arrangement would have paid $20 million each to FIFA's 211 member nations if they accepted by a September 19 deadline, according to ESPN. That deadline has passed without the required approvals.

UEFA, the European confederation, is threatening to boycott FIFA games, events, and meetings, per ESPN. The leadership of CONCACAF (the North American confederation) and the Asian Football Confederation have also spoken out against Infantino. Asia is considered the decisive continent: Europe and North American nations are expected to vote Infantino out, while Africa, South America, and Oceania are expected to back him. A contested election would give Asian federations outsized influence.

FIFA has set a November 18 deadline for candidates to declare for the presidential election scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco. Infantino had appeared set to run unopposed for a fourth and final term through 2031, but Prince Ali's allegation and the groundswell of opposition from multiple confederations now suggest a contested race is likely. FIFA was approached for comment by ESPN but no response is documented in the coverage.

Prince Ali placed third in a five-candidate FIFA presidential race when Infantino was first elected in February 2016. He served on FIFA's executive committee from 2011 to 2015 and challenged then-president Sepp Blatter in a May 2015 election.