AFC – Declan Hill – Investigative Journalist & Academic

02OctOctober 2, 2026

The Fight for FIFA is Over: Why Gianni Infantino is still the Controversial King of International Soccer/Football

Gianni Infantino when he was campaigning for FIFA Presidency It’s over. At least as the cards on the table are now - the War of Roses, Game of Thrones, Choose-Your-Favourite-Analogy - fight between the ruling sports barons of FIFA is finished. Its finished with ruling King Gianni firmly on his throne and the risk of having his head, metaphorically, impaled on the pillory of public media scrutiny and a possible arrest for corruption gone for the moment. Here is why. The battle for control...

The Greatest Case of Commercial Blindness in the History of Sports Integrity

There are all kinds of examples of inappropriate blindness. There was Captain Smith of the SS Titanic not seeing the iceberg. There was Admiral Nelson putting the telescope to his eye patch not to see the signal to retreat. There was Johnny Papalia the mafia thug who beat up the head of Toronto’s illegal gambling racket in front of two-hundred people in a crowded restaurant and when the police arrived none of the patrons said they saw anything. Then there is...

The Elephant in the FIFA Room and the Caribbean Delegates

https://www.declanhill.com/storage/2016/02/X-Fifa-vice-president-Jack-Warner-is-caught-on-tape-offering-_gifts-of-25_000-to-Caribbean.flv.mp4 There are two unresolved questions here in Zurich with days to go before the biggest election in FIFA's history. The two front runners are Gianni Infantino and Sheikh Salman. They both have the official support of two confederations: Salman his own Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the African Confederation (CAF). Infantino – Europe (UEFA) and Latin America (CONMEBOL). Most of the discussions, media spinning, rumours, etc in this city is about whether Salman's support is declining and Infantino is gaining: or,...