In an attempt to keep his job, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has tried to bribe the Moroccan football association, The Times reports. In exchange for written support, the Swiss official offered the 2030 World Cup final.

Infantino has come under heavy fire for some time. The administrator’s plan to give private investors a stake in FIFA’s biggest tournaments failed completely and could cost him his job.

UEFA and CONCACAF, North America, Central America and the Caribbean, quickly came out strongly against Infantino. The Asian Football Confederation AFC also swiftly joined the opposition.

On Wednesday, Infantino held crisis talks with leading officials from the Moroccan football association, which, like Spain and Portugal, is organising a large part of the 2030 World Cup.

He hopes Morocco’s written support will help him survive as FIFA president, although massive worldwide criticism appears to have made his position slowly but surely untenable.

The Times author Martyn Ziegler, who broke the news of Infantino’s investment plan, writes that Infantino is not yet thinking about stepping down and is doing everything he can to keep his job.

He has therefore offered to stage the 2030 World Cup final at the brand-new Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca in exchange for support. Spain, meanwhile, believe the World Cup final should be played in that country.

Candidates for the FIFA presidency for the period between 2027 and 2031 can register with FIFA until 18 November. FIFA will announce the (new) president on 18 May in Rabat, Morocco.

Canadian Victor Montagliani, president of CONCACAF, and AFC president Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa are being mentioned as possible successors to Infantino.

Saudi Arabia, remarkably, have not yet taken a position on Infantino. The country’s national football association will first appoint a successor to Yasser Al-Misehal on 30 August.

Al-Misehal left as president of the Saudi football association after the elimination at the World Cup. Once a successor has been appointed, an official response from that country is expected.