FIFA president Gianni Infantino accused of 'blackmail' by Jordan FA chief as pressure mounts for resignation

In a sensational development that has rocked world football, Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin Hussein has accused Infantino of using "blackmail" to secure political support. The allegations surfaced through an extraordinary statement in which the Jordanian chief detailed how FIFA allegedly withheld crucial funds and assistance while demanding an endorsement for Infantino's fourth term as president.

In an extraordinary statement, Hussein detailed the alleged pressure via social media: "There is no shortage of issues regarding FIFA. Let me start by clarifying what some of these are from an FA perspective, in particular that of Jordan going into a World Cup for the first time.

"First, getting our fans into the USA: not all were granted VISAS, even though they had tickets - which we also know were sold at exorbitant prices. Secondly, we are being taxed by the US government through FIFA for our participation. Money that should go to players and staff."

The accusations went further, touching on financial rewards from previous tournaments that remain unpaid despite FIFA's vast wealth. Hussein added: "Thirdly, we have been waiting for reward money for our players since December for the Arab Cup in Qatar, which is a FIFA event. The money our team should receive for having reached the final has not been delivered yet, while at the same time FIFA brags about how many billions they have in reserve.

"It is clear the problem really is with leadership. For months, FIFA has been refusing to help us on any of these or other matters - until it was verbally communicated to me during the World Cup that if I endorsed Infantino it would go a long way to helping our FA out.

"We pride ourselves in Jordan in upholding ethical values. We did not endorse him before and certainly will not now. But the whole situation amounts to blackmail and we refuse to give in to that."

The timing of these allegations could not be worse for Infantino, who is already reeling from the collapse of the controversial World Cup sell-off plan that would have seen private investors take stakes in the tournament. UEFA has taken an aggressive stance, not only calling for the president to step down but also warning against the destruction of any related evidence. The European governing body has gone as far as issuing a formal legal notice to the FIFA chief, demanding that all documents related to the failed commercial subsidiary be preserved. The pressure is mounting as 91 nations are now estimated to be in opposition to Infantino's continued reign.

In response to the growing crisis, Infantino has been holding emergency meetings in Morocco to address the internal rebellion within his own staff, as per Sky News. The fallout from the failed $20 billion project has left his reputation in tatters, with UEFA declaring a complete lack of confidence.

Despite the mounting calls for his head, Infantino has yet to indicate that he will resign voluntarily. However, the nature of the blackmail allegations from Jordan adds a new, darker dimension to the political struggle. As more member associations consider their positions, the possibility of an extraordinary FIFA Congress and a formal vote of no confidence looms large on the horizon.