Live updates: European soccer teams vote to boycott World Cups over controversial FIFA investment plan

A Swiss administrator who rose up the ranks to become the most powerful man in soccer, Gianni Infantino’s decade-plus-long reign as the head of the sport’s world governing body, FIFA, has been signposted by controversy, expansion and monetary growth.

He was initially set to serve for a period of three years but has been re-elected for subsequent terms, running unopposed.

Having qualified as a soccer lawyer, Infantino held multiple roles at European governing body UEFA, before taking over the FIFA presidency in February 2016 at an extraordinary congress as corruption allegations swirled around the organization.

Infantino has overseen three men’s World Cups in his time: Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and most recently this summer’s tournament in North America.

Each edition, though, has been mired in controversy: Infantino’s close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin; the Gulf nation’s treatment of migrant workers; and the FIFA chief’s flattery of President Trump.

Under his leadership, FIFA has expanded the men’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, with reports that a 64-team format is under consideration for the 2030 edition.

Infantino has also sought to substantially bolster the FIFA coffers with lucrative sponsorship ties.

It’s not the first time he’s explored the idea of selling off parts of FIFA.

In 2018, Infantino proposed a $25 billion deal with Japan’s SoftBank to create new global competitions, including an expanded men’s Club World Cup.

That ultimately failed after meeting fierce resistance from UEFA.

Whether or not his latest proposal gets green lit remains to be seen.