Prince Ali alleges Gianni Infantino withheld funds to blackmail Jordan
Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein has accused FIFA of withholding funds and attempting to pressure his federation into backing Gianni Infantino’s re-election, adding to mounting scrutiny of FIFA’s leadership.
Former FIFA vice-president and Jordan Football Association president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein has accused FIFA president Gianni Infantino of using financial pressure to influence political support ahead of the governing body’s next presidential election.
The claims come as Infantino faces growing opposition following the collapse of his controversial World Cup investment proposal.
Prince Ali alleged Jordan has yet to receive prize money earned for finishing runners-up at the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup.
He said he was told during the 2026 World Cup that publicly endorsing Infantino would help resolve the federation’s outstanding issues, describing the alleged approach as blackmail and rejecting any such pressure.
The Jordanian football chief also criticised FIFA over unresolved concerns affecting his federation, including delayed payments and a lack of assistance on other matters.
FIFA had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of reporting, while Prince Ali insisted Jordan would continue to uphold ethical standards over political expediency.
The accusations further intensify pressure on Infantino, whose leadership has come under renewed scrutiny after abandoning plans to sell a stake in future World Cup commercial revenues.
Several football bodies and national associations have since questioned his leadership ahead of FIFA’s presidential election scheduled for March 2027.
