After clashes with Infantino, FIFA launches audit of the Albanian FA

The Albanian football federation was the first to withdraw its support for Infantino in FIFA’s upcoming elections, due on March 18, 2027, after his attempt to sell World Cup rights.

UEFA president Čeferin clashed fiercely with the FIFA chief, and Duka — as UEFA vice-president and Čeferin’s trusted man — was the first to make a demonstrative move.

A few weeks later, the federations of Italy and England did the same.

So far this looks like a war of clans, each according to its own interest. But recently FIFA has launched an audit that also includes the Albanian Football Federation.

Sources close to the FSHF say the check concerns the tickets the federations withdrew during the World Cup.

Each federation has the right to withdraw a certain number of tickets for each match. But it must be transparent with them. If it gives them to its staff, it must prove that they are officials or icons of domestic football. If it sells them, the money must at least go into the federation’s coffers, documented.

But FIFA has decided to check mainly the federations that did not have their national teams at the World Cup. Just like Albania.

It is understood that some federations withdrew all the tickets they had at their disposal. And their total price was about $300,000 over the whole tournament. On the black market, their value was 4 or 5 times higher.

A kind of business that FIFA knows very well how it works.

Because the question arises: why should an Albanian, Kosovar or Greek federation withdraw the tickets of a match like Cape Verde–Saudi Arabia?

But not by accident has FIFA now decided to conduct an audit focusing on “rebels” like Duka, who were the first to come out against Infantino when he was attacked from all sides.

Some say this is a well-thought-out plan. Not wanting to deal with two powerful federations in Europe like England and Italy, which also came out against him, FIFA makes an example of a country like Albania, while also hitting Čeferin, because Duka is his deputy at UEFA.

But it also sends a message to those who rebel: one day they will be held accountable.