Desperate Gianni Infantino ‘offers Morocco World Cup final in exchange for support as Fifa backlash worsens’

DESPERATE Gianni Infantino has reportedly offered the World Cup final to Morocco – in exchange for their backing. The Fifa president is clinging on to his job after the furious backlash to news of his plans to sell off stakes in the World Cup. Gianni Infantino allegedly offered Morocco the World Cup final in exchange for support Credit: AFP The Grande Stade Hassan II in Casablanca is set to be ready for the 2030 tournament Credit: Courtesy Populous/Oualolou + Choi Infantino, 56, continues to come under heavy fire from confederations and national FAs around the world – and even within his own organisation – for his shameless money-grabbing scheme. But now he has gone to even more extreme lengths to try and salvage some support. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Because according to The Times, Infantino has made a plea to get the support of Morocco. Infantino repaid their faithful support throughout his presidency by awarding them the co-hosting rights for the 2030 World Cup. Morocco will share the tournament with Spain and Portugal – as well as one match apiece in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to mark the centenary edition. However, the location of the final is yet to be decided. Spanish FA chief Rafael Louzan claimed earlier this year that Spain “will be the leader of the 2030 World Cup and the final of that World Cup will be here” – with the renovated Santiago Bernabeu the obvious choice. However, Morocco are desperate to stage the showpiece spectacle at the Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca. Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal Credit: Populous The capacity of the new stadium is going to be 115,000 Credit: Populous The venue in northern Africa will become the biggest football stadium in the world Credit: SPA Once completed and opened, the venue will boast a whopping capacity of 115,000 seats, making it the biggest football stadium on the planet. And Infantino appears to think offering the carrot of the final to Morocco can help keep them on side. Fifa deny the allegations and a spokesperson said: “It is false and misleading to claim the Fifa President has made any promise in relation to hosting the Fifa World Cup 2030 final. “A decision will be made by Fifa in due course.” Even if Infantino did make such a guarantee to Morocco, it is understood any promise would not even be binding – and a replacement president can change the decision. Infantino has close ties with Morocco due to their support. A new swanky Fifa office opened in Rabat last year and it is in the city that the Swiss chief is holed up amid this storm – and where he staged his emergency crisis meeting on Wednesday morning with Fifa’s top brass. He also chose to stage the 2027 Fifa Congress event in Rabat, where he hopes to win another election – should he even be in the running. There are widespread calls for Infantino to be booted from his post immediately. The Times added Fifa are hoping Saudi Arabia and some ‘Fifa legends’ on the pay roll to attent their events might publicly back Infantino. Instead, the 2034 World Cup hosts – alongside Morocco, one of Infantino’s traditional biggest supporters – have stayed silent in the wake of the recent controversy and refused to offer their endorsement. And Portugal legend Luis Figo tweeted on Wednesday: “Today I join others from across our game and call for Gianni Infantino to resign as Fifa President. “Infantino has debased the office that he promised to elevate. “He has lied, deceived and tried to feather his own nest at the expense of the game he is supposed to serve. “He has lost the support of his senior staff, his closest advisers, the vast majority of people who devote their lives to this sport and even, it would seem, the Fifa Peace Prize winner. “It is too late to save his dignity but it is not too late to save football. He should go. Now. #Infantinout” That came 24 hours after the Jordan FA boss Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein accused Infantino and Fifa of “blackmail”. Prince Ali wrote: “There is no shortage of issues regarding Fifa. “We have been waiting for reward money for our players since December for the Arab Cup in Qatar, which is a Fifa event. “The money our team should receive for having reached the final has not been delivered yet, while at the same time Fifa brags about how many billions they have in reserve. “It is clear the problem really is with leadership. “For months, Fifa has been refusing to help us on any of these or other matters – until it was verbally communicated to me during the World Cup that if I endorsed Infantino it would go a long way to helping our FA out. “We pride ourselves in Jordan in upholding ethical values. “We did not endorse him before and certainly will not now. “But the whole situation amounts to blackmail and we refuse to give in to that.” Comment now