Following the controversy surrounding the sale of the World Cup, The Sun revealed details about Gianni Infantino's wife. According to The Sun, Infantino's wife is Lena Al-Ashkar, and the couple has four daughters.
Who is Lena Al-Ashkar?
Gianni Infantino's wife, Lena Al-Ashkar, is of Lebanese descent. The two are believed to have met in the early 21st century when Lena worked for the Lebanese Football Federation. The couple has four daughters and currently resides in Zug, Switzerland. Their youngest daughter, Dalia Nora, fell ill during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and reportedly required emergency appendicitis surgery. Infantino and his wife were present at the time, and he was reportedly very grateful to the hospital in St. Petersburg.
What are Gianni Infantino's plans to sell the World Cup?
FIFA President Gianni Infantino had devised an unusual move to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. The plan would have created a company to control both the World Cup and the Club World Cup, potentially generating tens of millions of pounds for Infantino himself, but it was quickly met with fierce criticism from UEFA. Potential investors were reportedly aware of the plan, which would have also given each of FIFA's 211 member associations a £15 million stake in the company, which they could choose to sell themselves. British media reported that individuals close to the Donald Trump administration were also involved in consulting on the plan. This blueprint could have prompted FIFA, currently a non-profit organization, to focus more on commercial revenue due to external pressure from investors. This could have led to the World Cup expanding from 48 to 64 teams and prioritizing host countries with high commercial potential. However, on Friday, July 31, FIFA announced it was abandoning Infantino's plan.
