Gianni Infantino mocks bald reporter after questions over alleged World Cup ‘betrayal’

Gianni Infantino avoided answering questions about his future as FIFA president by joking about his baldness when challenged over allegations that he had betrayed football.

Infantino was approached by James Matthews, a Sky News reporter, who asked whether he had betrayed the game and why he would not resign. The FIFA president replied: “That’s a beautiful hairstyle, thank you very much. See you at the hairdresser’s.”

The Daily Mail reported that neither Infantino nor Matthews has much hair, making the exchange a personal reference to the reporter’s appearance as well as an attempt by the FIFA president to deflect questions about his position.

Infantino’s remarks came weeks after reports emerged of a secret proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. The controversial plan was later withdrawn after widespread anger following its disclosure by The Times.

Pressure on Infantino to leave office has continued to grow. UEFA has announced that it will boycott all FIFA competitions until he steps down, according to the report.

The initial proposals, revealed in July, involved breaking up parts of the World Cup and creating a new company in a deal that could have been worth about £15bn. The Times reported that Infantino could become commissioner of the company when his current term at FIFA ends in 2031.

That role was described as potentially highly lucrative, with estimates suggesting it could have paid Infantino more than $50m a year.

The proposed sale of World Cup stakes had reportedly been discussed by senior FIFA officials and potential investors. Among those linked to the discussions was Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is the son-in-law of United States president Donald Trump.

The parties involved are said to have signed non-disclosure agreements. JPMorgan was reportedly handling the process, while the Trump administration was believed to have been aware of the proposal and consulted about it.

The plans triggered a major backlash, including an internal revolt within FIFA. They were ultimately cancelled by Infantino after opposition intensified.

Earlier this month, Infantino secured the “full support” of senior FIFA officials after calling an emergency meeting in Morocco. The meeting was held in the Moroccan city of Sale after plans to sell £3.1bn worth of stakes in the World Cup were leaked the previous week.

Despite the reported backing from FIFA executives, questions about Infantino’s leadership and his future in the role remain. His decision to respond with jokes rather than address the allegations directly has now added to the scrutiny surrounding the abandoned proposal.