FIFA chief hired Sorrell’s agency for reelection campaign using organization’s funds, Post reports

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has secretly hired Sir Martin Sorrell's digital agency Monks to run a targeted online campaign aimed at shoring up support ahead of next March's presidential election, funding the effort through FIFA's own accounts, the New York Post reported on Friday, citing three sources familiar with the arrangement.nypost

The undisclosed deal with Monks, a programmatic advertising firm owned by Sorrell's London-listed S4 Capital, was struck earlier this month as Infantino scrambles to retain power following the collapse of a $20 billion plan to sell FIFA's commercial rights to a consortium that included Josh Kushner's Thrive Capital. Critics inside FIFA's Zurich headquarters say using the organization's funds for what amounts to a personal reelection campaign may violate Article 25 of FIFA's ethics regulations, which bars officials from spending organizational money on political campaigning.nypost

European Leagues Declare FIFA 'Not Fit for Purpose'

The revelation landed on the same day that the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, and Serie A issued an extraordinary joint statement calling for "fundamental" governance reform at FIFA. The four leagues accused Infantino of promoting "exploitative ideas" and said the organization's concentration of regulatory, commercial, and political power in a single office "is not fit for purpose".premierleague+1

The statement, signed by Premier League chief executive Richard Masters, Bundesliga CEO Marc Lenz, La Liga president Javier Tebas, and Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo, outlined three demands: giving stakeholders a formal role in decision-making, requiring evidence-based proposals, and separating FIFA's regulatory function from its commercial interests. The leagues also called on all presidential candidates to endorse those principles and convene an independently chaired governance convention within the first 100 days of the next mandate.premierleague

Legal and Political Pressure Mounts

The hiring of Monks could also expose Infantino to legal risk. UEFA is evaluating claims under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code following a legal filing last month, and charges of "criminal mismanagement" for diverting organizational assets could carry up to five years in prison. Meanwhile, UEFA has launched a legal action in the United States to compel the release of internal documents tied to the failed privatization plan.nypost

Infantino remains the only declared candidate for the March election, with a November 18 deadline for challengers to enter. A fresh attack ad targeting him is set to launch on a Times Square billboard this weekend, according to the Post's sources. A Monks spokesperson told the Post: "We do not comment on client inquiries. Any questions should be directed to FIFA." FIFA did not respond to requests for comment.nytimes+1