In a significant development, Gianni Infantino, the President of FIFA, is set to be granted Lebanese citizenship, as announced by the Lebanese Football Association (LFA) on Tuesday. This decision comes during Infantino’s two-day visit to Lebanon, accompanied by his Lebanese wife, Lina al-Ashkar. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun extended this honor, which the LFA described as a recognition of Infantino’s contributions to football development and his ongoing support for Lebanese football. Infantino expressed his pride and happiness, stating, ‘I feel very good, I feel very proud, I feel very happy. And I’m Lebanese since many, many years already, so it’s good that we formalise this as well.’
Despite Lebanese women being unable to pass citizenship to their spouses or children under a 1925 law, Infantino’s case is an exception. During his visit, Infantino also discussed plans to build a state-of-the-art football stadium in Lebanon, fully funded by FIFA. ‘I feel that there is one thing that we need here in Lebanon, which is a ‘state-of-the-art’ football stadium. A stadium where the national team can play its home games, a stadium where Lebanon will be proud and will be happy,’ he remarked.
Following his visit to Lebanon, Infantino will travel to Qatar to watch an Arab Cup qualifier match between Lebanon and Sudan. Since becoming FIFA president in 2016, Infantino has maintained close ties with former US President Donald Trump, under whose administration the US, Mexico, and Canada were awarded the 2026 World Cup. However, Infantino has faced criticism for FIFA’s handling of Israel’s actions in Gaza, with calls for Israel’s suspension from FIFA and UEFA. Infantino has defended FIFA’s stance, emphasizing its role in promoting peace and unity rather than addressing political issues.