26 Facts About Gianni Infantino

Gianni Infantino was re-elected on 5 June 2019 and on 16 March 2023.

Gianni Infantino was born on 23 March 1970 in Brig, Switzerland.

Gianni Infantino is a son of Italian immigrant parents from Calabria and Lombardy in Switzerland and has the citizenship of both countries.

Gianni Infantino speaks French, German and Italian as his first languages, and speaks Arabic, English, Portuguese and Spanish.

Gianni Infantino worked as the Secretary General of the International Center for Sports Studies at the University of Neuchatel.

Gianni Infantino started working with UEFA in August 2000 and was appointed as the Director of UEFA's Legal Affairs and Club Licensing Division in January 2004.

Gianni Infantino became Deputy General Secretary of UEFA in 2007 and Secretary General of UEFA in October 2009.

Gianni Infantino oversaw the expansion of UEFA Euro 2016 to 24 teams and played a role in the conception of the UEFA Nations League and the UEFA Euro 2020, which was intended to take place in 13 European nations before the number was reduced to 11.

Gianni Infantino promised to expand the FIFA World Cup to forty teams.

Gianni Infantino, who holds dual Swiss and Italian citizenship through his parents, became the first Italian to hold the Presidency of FIFA.

In 2017, Gianni Infantino criticized the United States travel ban on several Muslim-majority nations.

In 2019 Gianni Infantino accepted the Order of Friendship medal given to him by Vladimir Putin, following the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Gianni Infantino described the 2018 World Cup as the "best World Cup ever".

Gianni Infantino was implicated in the FIFA corruption scandal in documents released in the 2016 Panama Papers.

Gianni Infantino repeatedly warned Iranian football federation and Islamic Republic of Iran authorities about Iranian women's rights.

When questioned about abuses suffered by migrant workers involved in preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Gianni Infantino said that migrant workers were given work and pay and were proud to contribute to constructing the stadiums.

Gianni Infantino charged Western countries with "hypocrisy" for criticizing Qatar on moral grounds.

On 31 October 2023, Gianni Infantino announced that Saudi Arabia would host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

Gianni Infantino has frequently promoted Saudi sporting events on social media and has frequently been photographed alongside Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman.

Gianni Infantino engaged in private diplomacy on Saudi Arabia's behalf, as he explored whether Greece and Egypt would be willing to partner with Saudi Arabia to host the 2030 World Cup.

Gianni Infantino had urged the AFC to fully support and unite around the Saudi bid, discouraging other AFC members from submitting their own bids.

In July 2016, Gianni Infantino was interviewed by the investigatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee on suspicion of breaches of the FIFA code of ethics.

When Gianni Infantino accepted special treatment by the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts, the potential for a conflict of interest was raised.

In July 2020 further allegations arose when Gianni Infantino was accused of having a secret meeting with Michael Lauber, the Attorney General of Switzerland.

Gianni Infantino is married to Lebanese Leena Al Ashqar; the couple have four children.

Gianni Infantino assured that his official residency remains in Canton Zurich, and explained that organizing the World Cup in Qatar necessitated his presence there.