Idman.biz
Gianni Infantino, President of the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA), has accepted Lebanese citizenship.
Idman.Biz reports with reference to official sources that this decision was made by the President of Lebanon, Joseph Khalil Aoun. Infantino announced on his social media accounts that he had been granted citizenship.
"It was a great honor for me to receive Lebanese citizenship! It was given to me by the President of the country, Joseph Khalil Aoun. Today in Beirut, I met with him to discuss how we can cooperate to continue using football as a means to promote the development of football, strengthen peace and expand the opportunities of young people across the planet. We had a constructive conversation," the FIFA head wrote on his social media account.
According to the official website of the Lebanese Football Association (LFA), this step is symbolic.
"This confirms Lebanon's recognition of the role the FIFA president plays in the development of the game and its continued support for Lebanese football. During the meeting in Beirut, Mr. Infantino presented the Lebanese leader with the official match ball of the 2026 World Cup to be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The ball had the name of the Lebanese President engraved on it. The FIFA representative also presented Joseph Khalil Aoun with commemorative gifts on behalf of the federation," the LFA said.
55-year-old Gianni Infantino has been the President of FIFA since 2019. Before being appointed head of world football, he served as Secretary General of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) from October 2009. The FIFA leader already holds Italian and Swiss citizenship. He is married to Lina Al-Ashqar, who is of Lebanese origin.
