The World Cup Story, Part 2: Too Big To Fail

Gianni Infantino’s decade-long tenure as FIFA president has transformed the organization into a profit-driven entity that prioritizes commercial expansion over fan experience. Since succeeding Sepp Blatter in 2016, Infantino has shifted the World Cup from a traditional summer tournament to a global, high-revenue vehicle, exemplified by the controversial move to a winter schedule in Qatar and the upcoming 48-team, three-nation event in North America. By cultivating close relationships with world leaders like Donald Trump and prioritizing sovereign wealth fund investments, FIFA has effectively ceded control to host nations while implementing aggressive dynamic pricing for tickets. This "US-ification" of the tournament, featuring halftime shows and increased advertising, signals a shift toward maximizing revenue at the expense of the sport's traditional community-based roots, leaving fans to navigate rising costs and a growing sense of alienation from the game.