Gianni Infantino, the president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), has been safely re-elected to serve another term. In his first statement since his re-election, Infantino pressed for equal pay at the World Cup, stating that it is “essential” for the sport.
Infantino, who has been in office since 2016, was re-elected unanimously by the member associations present at the FIFA Congress in Doha, Qatar. During his first term, Infantino oversaw a number of changes at FIFA, including the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams and the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
In his post-election statement, Infantino praised the progress made by FIFA under his leadership but acknowledged that there is still work to be done to promote equality in the sport.
“One issue that is essential for women’s football is that of equal pay,” Infantino said. “We have to work hard on this. We have to find the right balance and the right formula, but it is essential.”
Infantino’s comments come in the wake of a number of high-profile disputes over pay inequality in football. The US Women’s National Team, for example, has been engaged in a long-running legal battle with the United States Soccer Federation over pay disparities between the men’s and women’s teams.
Infantino also used his statement to address a number of other key issues facing the sport, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on football and the need to continue to promote transparency and good governance at FIFA.
Infantino’s re-election was widely expected, as he ran unopposed for the position. However, his comments on equal pay were seen as a significant step forward in the fight for gender equality in football.
The issue of pay inequality has been a major topic of discussion in the sport in recent years, with many arguing that women’s football deserves the same level of support and recognition as men’s football. With Infantino pledging to prioritize the issue of equal pay at the World Cup, there is hope that real progress can be made in the fight for gender equality in football.
Infantino’s new term as FIFA president will run until 2023, and he is expected to continue to push for reforms and progress in the sport during his time in office.
, has been safely re-elected to serve another term. In his first statement since his re-election, Infantino pressed for equal pay at the World Cup, stating that it is “essential” for the sport.){kind=link}