Prince Ali, the third son of King Hussein of Jordan, has leveled serious allegations of blackmail against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The former FIFA vice president claims that the Jordanian federation, which he leads, has yet to receive funds owed for reaching the final of the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup. According to reports from last year, the competition was set to award $4.2 million to the tournament's runner-up, a title Jordan claimed after a loss to Morocco.
In a social media statement released on Tuesday, Prince Ali alleged that during the World Cup in June—where Jordan made its tournament debut—he was told that endorsing Infantino’s leadership would significantly assist his national federation. Prince Ali, who previously placed third in the 2016 FIFA presidential election against Infantino, firmly rejected the request. "We pride ourselves in Jordan in upholding ethical values. We did not endorse him before and certainly will not now," he stated. He further characterized the situation as blackmail, adding, "We refuse to give in to that."
The controversy arises as Infantino faces mounting pressure regarding his 11-year presidency, fueled by a backlash from global soccer leaders following a failed initiative to sell a stake in future World Cup profits to investors led by Joshua Kushner. Prince Ali criticized the leadership, noting that while FIFA boasts of holding billions in reserve, it has failed to deliver the prize money rightfully earned by his team. He added that for several months, FIFA has remained unresponsive to requests for help regarding these and other matters.
The fallout from the private equity plan has prompted Infantino’s former colleagues at UEFA to begin searching for a potential rival candidate. FIFA has established an 18 November deadline for candidates to declare their intentions ahead of the election, which is scheduled for 18 March in Rabat, Morocco, involving 211 member federations.
