Gianni Infantino makes rare public appearance amid calls for him to quit Fifa

FIFA president Gianni Infantino made a rare public appearance at the opening of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, drawing attention amid mounting calls for him to step down. Infantino was pictured in the stands conversing with Cezary Kulesza, president of the Polish soccer federation, as host nation Poland played Argentina on Saturday. The article says Infantino had largely stayed out of public view in the weeks after FIFA abandoned his plan to sell World Cup profits, a proposal opposed by multiple FIFA member associations and internal officials. European representatives reportedly dropped a proposed boycott after FIFA assured the initiative would not restart, while legal proceedings over the original attempt continue. FIFA’s Thursday court submission accused UEFA of running a “smear campaign,” and the filing challenged UEFA’s claims in the context of the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan.