Now Reading: Rs 134 crore budget forces AIFF to back FIFA President Infantino
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Rs 134 crore budget forces AIFF to back FIFA President Infantino
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is backing Gianni Infantino's reelection as FIFA President, driven by a desperate need for funds, not ideology. Indian football runs on a domestic budget of just…
The Story in Brief
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is backing Gianni Infantino's reelection as FIFA President, driven by a desperate need for funds, not ideology. Indian football runs on a domestic budget of just Rs 134 crore for 2023-24, while Infantino's proposed FIFA Forward programme could guarantee up to Rs 382 crore over four years. Current FIFA grants give the AIFF about Rs 66 crore per cycle.
UEFA and CONCACAF are in open revolt against Infantino's plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors. But the AIFF, lacking commercial revenue, cannot afford to oppose him. Sports broadcaster Joe Morrison told Times Now that the AIFF is 'destitute' and has no choice. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has sided with UEFA, but the AIFF is gambling that even if the revolt fails, it will still get the guaranteed Rs 66 crore.
The Indian Opinion
Indian football's dependence on FIFA funds is often framed as a sellout of sporting integrity for cash. The AIFF's choice to back Gianni Infantino, however, is not a betrayal of principles but a survival instinct. With a domestic budget of Rs 134 crore against a potential Rs 382 crore from FIFA, the calculus is simple. Until Indian football generates its own revenue, it will remain a pawn in global power games. The real test is not who wins the FIFA election, but whether the AIFF can build a self-sustaining model.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
