Fifa Delivers Overdue Prize Money After Jordan FA Chief's 'Blackmail' Remark

The Jordan Football Association has received prize money it had been owed since December, its president Prince Ali said, days after he publicly raised the outstanding payment in his criticism of Fifa's leadership.

"Thank you to the Fifa administration for suddenly this morning delivering what was owed to our players and coaching staff, for the Jordan National team's accession to the final of the Fifa Arab Cup in Qatar last December," Prince Ali said on X.

"This was funding that should have been received eight months ago," he said.

Prince Ali had criticised Fifa president Gianni Infantino after Infantino backed out of his proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup, having come under pressure from confederations and national associations. Prince Ali said Fifa had offered to help solve the kingdom's football problems in exchange for his endorsement.

One of the problems he listed was that the association had been waiting since December for the prize money for reaching the Arab Cup final in Qatar.

Prince Ali alleged that Fifa verbally communicated during the World Cup that backing the president "would go a long way to helping our FA out".

Fifa did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations.

Prince Ali added that receiving the money was a welcome development, but said it would not change his organisation's concerns about Fifa's leadership.

"It is symptomatic of those exact difficulties that we all face and that are usually linked to the Fifa presidential elections," he said.

"And it does not change my clear position concerning the leadership of Fifa: my FA and I will not endorse president Infantino, nor will we vote for him," he added.

Fifa had apologised to its members for mistakes made over its abandoned proposal to sell commercial rights to the World Cup. However, the body's leadership reaffirmed its support for Infantino after a crisis meeting in Morocco on Wednesday.