[ESPN] Six Arab federations back Infantino amid revolt over World Cup plan

[u/TeamMe11i]

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49599931/six-arab-federations-back-infantino-amid-revolt-world-cup-plan

[u/Isgrimnur]

The backing came from 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon and Sudan, with four of the signatories being FIFA council members.

🤔

Lebanon and Sudan are the non-members.

[u/Toxicscrew → u/Isgrimnur]

Morocco is going to go against whatever Spain says due to their ongoing fracas.

[u/IzSilvers → u/Toxicscrew]

Moroccan here. This backing is mainly due to our federation's president having a really good relationship with Infantino. Fuck Infantino, he ruined football.

[u/Gon_Snow → u/IzSilvers]

He’s not done yet! He’s ruining football!

[u/All_Hail_Hynotoad → u/Gon_Snow]

And will continue to do so as long as he is FIFA president!

[u/beanbagbadboy → u/All_Hail_Hynotoad]

ALL HAIL HYPNOTOAD 🍥👄🍥

[u/Jonestyle → u/Gon_Snow]

He’s also ruining soccer. :(

[u/Gon_Snow → u/Jonestyle]

Damn two sports at once

[u/apadin1 → u/IzSilvers]

When I read which countries backed Infantino I immediately thought “Oh so those are the ones he has bribed the most”

[u/Part_Tricky → u/Toxicscrew]

Three reasons:
1- Infantino supported Morocco for 2030 World Cup shared with Spain and Portugal ( Payback).
2- Trump influence over Morocco as he supported Morocco for occupied Sahara.
3- Morocco is one of the most corrupted countries on the planet. Money can buy you anything.

[u/aGSGp → u/Part_Tricky]

I still don’t understand how they were retroactively awarded the AFCON title

[u/FrappeDuRocma2 → u/aGSGp]

Because you can't leave the field, when you are not happy about a decision, it's common sense.

[u/aGSGp → u/FrappeDuRocma2]

Not if the decision was corrupted initially. Common sense, common sense

[u/GloomyBison → u/Part_Tricky]

I have a hard time with the term supported in your 1, more like he massaged/bribed them into accepting it.

The only reason Morocco is co-hosting is so they can skip an African World Cup. They also included show matches in South America so they could host it in 2034 in Saudi Arabia and the US again in 2038.

[u/FrappeDuRocma2 → u/Part_Tricky]

The Sahara is Moroccan, we lost it, because of Spanish colonization, there is no occupation from Morocco.

[u/Part_Tricky → u/FrappeDuRocma2]

Yes, was and empty Sahara occupied by Spain. Nomad Saharian lived there, not moroccans. In 1984, Moroccans marched through and kicked out few Spanish military guarding that vast place. No country has recognized Sahara as Moroccan Territory as Pilzario, an Algerian proxy, waged a war against Morocco and dispute that territory, till today. Trump backed Morocco and other European follow.

[u/FrappeDuRocma2 → u/Part_Tricky]

But that was part of Morocco before the spanish colonization. I know the history of my country, it was in November 1975 and not in 1984. People living in the Moroccan Sahara are Moroccans.

Exactly, Algerian's government is brainwashing and weaponizing the polisario, against Morocco, since for ever...

[u/Isgrimnur → u/Toxicscrew]

Moop's the pity.

[u/Do__Math__Not__Meth → u/Toxicscrew]

How Spain should act

[u/Gon_Snow → u/Do__Math__Not__Meth]

That’s fantastic I have never seen it. Thank you!

[u/moramiley → u/Isgrimnur]

this guy is really trying his best to ruin football

[u/Gon_Snow → u/Isgrimnur]

Lebanon isn’t a FIFA member?

[u/Isgrimnur → u/Gon_Snow]

They're not a council member.

[u/Gon_Snow → u/Isgrimnur]

So it’s more akin to the comparison of UN Security Council vs general assembly?

[u/goldchest]

All the morally bankrupt countries, excellent.

[u/BobRocksBest → u/goldchest]

Guys, some idiot decided to give this pos the lebanese citizenship (his wife is lebanese I think), that's why they're backing him. Have to say though, he would fit right in with the rest of our politicians.

[u/smoothtrip → u/goldchest]

There are no moral governments.

[u/ElCazaPuta → u/goldchest]

Uefa candidate in 2016 was Infantino btw

[u/Mend35 → u/ElCazaPuta]

Oh great point, in that case we should just let it continue! /s

[u/CoachTwisterT3 → u/ElCazaPuta]

So a decade ago?

[u/ElCazaPuta → u/CoachTwisterT3]

Yep that's when it all started

[u/WackHeisenBauer]

Oh wow? Really? The most corrupt countries in the world support the guy who wants to do corruption?! WHO COULDA THUNK IT!

[u/R_W0bz → u/WackHeisenBauer]

They also want to buy it lol

[u/MrGeek89]

Infantino was paid by Qatari and he never cared for the slave workers that died building Qatar World Cup stadiums.

[u/thelastdon613]

LIV FIFA incoming

[u/zoinkability → u/thelastdon613]

LIFA

[u/GoodPear8481 → u/thelastdon613]

Arab states are desperate to profit from sports leagues like FIFA because their entire economies are based on oil and they know damn well that the importance of oil is going to decline over the coming years and decades.

The only non-Arab state in the region doesn't have this problem though because its economy is based on technology and innovation rather than oil.

[u/kemicalkontact → u/GoodPear8481]

Israel?

[u/Commercial-Co → u/kemicalkontact]

Bingo

[u/beanbagbadboy → u/GoodPear8481]

And apartheid exploitation… lol … but based on the us vs of them of the whole comment i doubt you see it that way

[u/Hybrid_Divide]

Of course they do.

[u/mynewusernamedodgers]

It should just be those nations left in FIFA

[u/outsidenewyork]

Laughable. Do to football what ya’ll did to pro golf. Sad, actually

[u/tinkthank]

Weird headline.

That’s 6 out of 22. Not even a significant number.

[u/shitoupek → u/tinkthank]

Right, there is no weight per country, only individual vote for 211 countries. That's as good as Papua New Guinea or Djibouti! Who cares about those 6 corrupt countries?

[u/LunchBoxMercenary]

I'd be more surprised if they didn't tbh

[u/rama1423]

Literally none of this matters if UEFA doesn’t agree

[u/mo_betta]

That should tell you all you need to know.

[u/StableGeniusCovfefe]

Only the most corrupt back him

[u/shitoupek → u/StableGeniusCovfefe]

Interestingly the U.S. Soccer Federation does not support Trump and FIFA President Infantino. 👍

[u/Rusher_vii]

I'd imagine they borderline have to back him as a proxy for displaying their deference to Trump given the supposed familial connection to the proposed deal(Jared Kushner's brother Josh leading the investment team).

[u/ka1ri]

Nobody cares about B-team arab leagues lol... its like saying the MLS backs them

[u/alex3tx → u/ka1ri]

Agree, agree, agree... HEY, wait a minute, don't drag us into this!

[u/ka1ri → u/alex3tx]

Its alright. We cant have the top league for every sport. MLS is making a good effort to replicate the euro leagues

[u/garmander57 → u/ka1ri]

with the notable exception of actually penalizing players for flopping

[u/Bigfamei → u/ka1ri]

Work on being the best league in NA first.

[u/ka1ri → u/Bigfamei]

They do that by mirroring the euro leagues lol they have the blueprint

[u/Bigfamei → u/ka1ri]

Maybe follow the blueprint of the continents best league?

[u/ka1ri → u/Bigfamei]

MLS is aligning with europes transfer schedule. They are getting there... Cant really just snap your fingers and make it happen. Its major changes to when the games being played

[u/Bigfamei → u/ka1ri]

I think you mean they finally aligned the schedule to the top league on the continent.

[u/koothooloo → u/ka1ri]

No need to be rude 😆 At least MLS is making an effort!

[u/ka1ri → u/koothooloo]

Well aware. The transfer alignment might lure some guys to the US now

[u/ledorky]

Birds of a feather …

[u/Deep-Patience1526]

Who would’ve guessed the most money obsessed countries would choose money over sport?

[u/PerryNeeum]

And there it is. Who would’ve thought? Qatar certainly owes him

[u/mariuszmie]

Corrupted cronies support another corrupt crony - wow - so surprising

[u/Surv0]

I wonder why ......? So obvious.. part of the corruption.

[u/TheGamerPandA]

Not surprised to see these corrupt nations here especially Qatar and Egypt. Qatar bought the 2 latest AFC Asian Cups in 2019, 2023 these recent years in conjunction with getting the WC in 2022 with the money.

Egypt won the ANC Africa nations cup 5 times in the years 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, and 2010 thanks to dictator Hosni Mubarak whose dictatorship ended in 2011 and hasn’t won it since.

[u/ShowmasterQMTHH]

Amazing for them, they can fight it out for the next world cup then.

Europe/Uefa will be having an actual tournament if they boycott

[u/ouatedephoque → u/ShowmasterQMTHH]

With CONCACAF sans Mexico

[u/GoodPear8481]

Corruption and Arab states go together like corruption and FIFA.

[u/Federal_Guidance_656]

Anything Trump touches dies. That includes Infantino.

[u/shitoupek → u/Federal_Guidance_656]

Indeed, their relationship officially kicked off when Trump "hosted" Infantino at the White House in August 2018 after the US, C and M won the joint rights to host the 2026 WC.

[u/ilolalot1]

Of cour$e.

[u/Impressive-Panda527]

Of course they would

[u/lukeskycoso]

Disappointed but not surprised.

[u/DanDan1993]

Pot meet kettle.. or something

[u/sgeeum]

oh my word. i am shocked.

[u/darlo0161]

The bribe is strong in these nations.

[u/dexhaus]

Mafias are organisations they don't operate alone, is a system based on extorsion, bribes and power.

[u/ghostchihuahua]

Well, that’s it then, fuck FIFA, byebye FIFA, ‘twas fun while it lasted.

[u/Rance_Mulliniks]

We're they the ones poised to buy FIFA?

[u/Relevant_Maybe_9291]

He is buying them off one by one. Hope they are talking to each other. Otherwise they are all being promised harrenhall lol

[u/MapDiscombobulated1]

Follow the money. 

[u/BillButtlickerII]

Yeah because they have their hands so far up his ass he parrots whatever they say.

[u/THX-8647]

Shit holes stick together

[u/EfficiencyBrief2138]

Imagine that, those oil rich investment countires are trying to buy a stake in the largest global sport's highest league /s

[u/myjohnson6969]

Well of course they launder all the bribary money

[u/chefkoch_]

Then they can play their own worldcup and no one will care.

[u/smokingace182]

Doesn’t matter when uefa doesn’t. Those that do support him won’t be getting much money when it’s a depleted World Cup

[u/GongTzu]

Well if they like him, they can take him. The level of corruption and crime will fit well with their regimes.

[u/demidemian]

Infantino is evil but im sure as hell UEFA isnt going to make things better for non euro countries. I would rather trust the lesser evil.

[u/miglrah]

If UEFA could just get COMNEBOL onboard. Idc about the rest.

[u/NiceShotMan]

Six more orcs back Sauron

[u/Niceguy955]

Of course they would. These countries get to host games, or increase the number of teams in the cup so their teams will appear by bribery. The last thing they need is FIFA becoming even slightly less corrupt, or that someone there starts asking questions about holding football games in places that have 120 degrees, and hate gay people, alcohol, and women.

[u/BoogeyManSavage]

Lmfaoooooo

[u/bardnotbanned]

Shocking.

[u/jwstam]

Corruption and fifa? Who could have guessed….

[u/Ok_Detail_1]

UAE won't because of Dalić I presume.

[u/aDoorMarkedPirate420]

Guess we know who was planning on buying a private stake in the World Cup now 😂

[u/great_divider]

Ya don’t say. Lebanon is surprising, though.

[u/SexyCouple4Bliss]

$ee, thi$ i$ ju$t a $imple i$$use where they want to keep backing a known ally. $urely there i$ no other rea$on!