Prince Ali bin Hussein, president of the Jordanian Football Association, has publicly accused FIFA leadership of engaging in blackmail. The former FIFA vice-president, who previously ran for the organization's top office twice, claims that the governing body is withholding overdue prize money to pressure him into endorsing Gianni Infantino’s re-election bid.
According to Prince Ali, the Jordanian FA has been waiting since December to receive reward money earned by their team for reaching the final of the FIFA Arab Cup held in Qatar. He expressed frustration that FIFA continues to boast about its multi-billion dollar reserves while failing to deliver payments owed to member associations. The official stated that for months, FIFA has refused to assist with various matters until he was verbally informed during the recent World Cup that an endorsement of Infantino would help the Jordanian FA resolve its financial issues.
Prince Ali rejected this approach, stating, "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." He further emphasized that the ongoing issues reflect a fundamental problem with FIFA's current leadership.
Beyond the financial dispute, the Jordanian FA president raised concerns regarding the treatment of fans during the recent World Cup. He claimed that several Jordanian supporters were denied visas to enter the United States despite holding valid tickets for matches. Additionally, he alleged that the prize money due to the Jordanian team is being taxed by the United States government through FIFA. These accusations arrive as FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces significant pressure following a failed initiative to open the World Cup to private investment.
