Jordan’s players and staff finally got their outstanding reward money for the 2025 Arab Cup, an entire eight months after it was due. This sudden payment came just two days after the Jordan Football Association’s president, Prince Ali bin Hussein, dropped a bombshell accusation, publicly alleging FIFA was engaging in blackmail. You can’t make this stuff up, can you?
The “Blackmail” That Forced Their Hand
Prince Ali, a former FIFA vice president, wasn’t holding back. He went straight after FIFA President Gianni Infantino. See, Infantino had floated this idea to sell a stake in the World Cup, then backed out, leaving a lot of national associations and confederations feeling the pressure. Ali claimed FIFA offered to help solve Jordan’s problems, like this very specific overdue prize money, in exchange for his endorsement. He even said FIFA verbally communicated during the World Cup that supporting the president “would go a long way to helping our FA out.” It’s like something out of a movie, right? We’re talking about funding that should have been in their pockets last December for making the Arab Cup final in Qatar! Eight whole months. That’s a lifetime in professional sports.
Money’s Here, But the Fight Isn’t Over
You’d think getting paid would smooth things over, but Prince Ali is not that guy. He hopped on X on Thursday, thanking the FIFA administration for “suddenly this morning delivering what was owed,” but he made it crystal clear where he stands. “This was funding that should have been received eight months ago,” he stressed. More importantly, he didn’t mince words about FIFA’s leadership. Receiving the money was a “welcome development,” sure, but it absolutely “does not change the concerns his organisation has about FIFA’s leadership.” Ali wasn’t done, adding that this whole situation “is symptomatic of those exact difficulties that we all face and that are usually linked to the FIFA presidential elections.” And for anyone wondering if this changes his vote? “My FA and I will not endorse President Infantino, nor will we vote for him.” Boom.
FIFA’s Silence and Infantino’s Push
So, how did FIFA respond to these direct allegations? They didn’t. They just completely ignored requests for comment on Ali’s claims. Classic, right? What they *did* do was apologize to members for some “mistakes” made over their abandoned proposal to sell commercial rights to the World Cup. But here’s the kicker: after a crisis meeting in Morocco on Wednesday, the body’s leadership reaffirmed its support for Infantino. The man is trying to extend his decade-long presidency into a fourth and final term, with an election slated for March. It looks like Prince Ali just threw a major wrench into those plans. This saga is far from over.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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