It’s supposed to be a week for presidents and prime ministers. But at this year’s United Nations General Assembly in New York, FIFA president Gianni Infantino was just as visible—glad-handing world leaders, cutting reels for social media, and pushing the conversation toward the 2030 World Cup.
Already the most complicated World Cup ever—with opening matches in South America before the bulk of games in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco—the tournament could now swell to 64 teams if CONMEBOL gets its way. The idea sounds inclusive, but critics say it risks diluting the product. Do fans really want Spain crushing Burkina Faso 8–0 on the biggest stage in sports? Or is this just the latest in FIFA’s money play, with more matches, more dates, and more billions flowing into the governing body’s coffers?
Hosts Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé follow the money and the politics, from UEFA’s pushback to FIFA’s $13 billion revenue projection. They dive into the mounting toll on players—burnout, endless travel, and shortened careers—and the geopolitical theater around Infantino’s meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump. Along the way, they ask whether “growth” actually makes the game better, or simply bigger.
So tune in as Finance of Football unpacks how a trophy meant to unite the world could end up stretching it too far.
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For more, follow Asli and Michael on Instagram
Asli - @brefootcontessa
Michael - @michale.lore
And follow the show…
On Instagram - @financeoffootballpod
On Facebook - /financeoffootball
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The Finance of Football, a Frequency Machine Podcast, is…
Written, Hosted, and Produced by Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé
Editing and Sound Design by Ryan Hammond
Mixing and Mastering by Julian Kwasneski
Executive Produced by Stacey Book and Avi Glijansky
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Check out more of Frequency Machine’s podcasts - including Undercover Sports, a show about the wildest sports conspiracy theories, at frequencymahine.com
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