Gianni Infantino was elected FIFA president in 2016, tasked with rescuing football's world governing body from corruption scandals and financial ruin. He inherited a reported $550m black hole and sponsors walking away. Infantino promised reform and delivered record revenues of $13bn (£9.6bn) for the cycle ending this year, driven by the controversial 48-team World Cup and the new Club World Cup. The 48-team format was rubberstamped within a year of his election.

Infantino also doubled development funds for member associations and expanded the World Cup to 40 teams initially. However, his presidency has been defined by controversy, starting with the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Infantino made headlines with a speech claiming to feel like a migrant worker there, amid criticism over workers' rights.

He later hosted plans for a summer 2025 Club World Cup in the US, placing it during the usual player recovery period. Infantino's close relationship with US President Donald Trump became a major point of contention, culminating in Trump receiving a controversial Fifa Peace Prize in 2025. Critics argue this undermines FIFA's reforms and governance.