A decade at the helm: Gianni Infantino marks 10 years as Kenya features in FIFA's long-term plan

Today marks exactly 10 years since Gianni Infantino stepped into office as FIFA President.

The Swiss-Italian, who formerly served as Secretary General of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), was quite adamant about “bringing football back to FIFA, and FIFA back to football” when he took charge.

He assumed office at a turbulent period, following corruption investigations that severely damaged the governing body’s image and credibility, resulting in criminal proceedings against several senior officials. FIFA offices were also raided as sponsors distanced themselves from the organisation.

For many at this moment, the most powerful football organisation in the world had become dysfunctional.

The 55-year-old entered office in February 2016 pledging institutional reform, which mainly included a renewed focus on football development, while maintaining financial transparency.

A decade later, the difference is glaring. FIFA is now reporting record commercial growth, with projected revenues of around USD 11 billion (Sh1.4 trillion) in the current cycle. The governing body has increased development funding to its 211 Member Associations (MAs) through structured programmes, rebuilt its financial reserves and bagged more partnerships.

One of the key pillars of Infantino’s presidency has been investment in smaller but emerging football nations, mainly in Africa. More than USD 1.2 billion (Sh154 billion) has reportedly been channelled into the continent to support competitions, infrastructure and capacity building within federations. Youth competitions at the under-17 and under-20 levels have also been supported, offering greater exposure to developing football nations.

Infantino has achieved outstanding progress over the past decade. From crisis control and commercial growth to brave and daring reforms, it’s hard to deny his tenure has reshaped the perception of what FIFA used to be. There is renewed confidence in the body and a somewhat restored positive image.

Speaking exclusively to The Standard while marking his 10-year anniversary, Infantino pointed to Kenya as one of the countries he continues to monitor closely. He was proud of how far he had come and the progress made during his tenure. He expressed delight at how fans turned up for the final edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN), co-hosted in Nairobi, Uganda and Tanzania, when he was in the country in August last year for a CAF Executive meeting.

“I have seen first-hand how much Kenyans love football. I was fortunate to attend the CHAN 2024 final in Nairobi last August and experience the atmosphere in the stadium,” Infantino said.

Women’s football growth

One visible transformation has been the rise of women’s football, particularly the FIFA Women's World Cup. Infantino has positioned gender equity as a top policy, vouching for equal conditions across all major competitions. Broadcast deals, attendance numbers and global reach have soared exponentially. Kenyan women have not been left behind, as some have benefited from the programmes offered.

In July last year, the Kenya U17 women’s head coach, Mildred Cheche, was among the tacticians at the FIFA Elite Performance Coach Mentorship Program in Zurich, Switzerland. She made history in June 2024 by becoming the first coach to qualify a Kenyan football team for a World Cup, leading the Junior Starlets to the FIFA U-17 Women’s tournament in the Dominican Republic. Infantino acknowledged the milestone, commending Cheche for breaking the glass ceiling with the girls.

“Two years ago, Kenya competed at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024 in the Dominican Republic, and I continue to follow the work that Mildred Cheche is doing with the young girls of Kenya. She is also part of the FIFA Elite Performance Coach Mentorship Programme,” he said.

Former Harambee Starlets captain Doreen Nabwire, who was also the first Kenyan female player to play professionally in Europe, is now the FIFA Women’s Football Lead in Africa. She has served on FIFA’s advisory and technical platforms dedicated to strengthening development structures for women’s football in Africa.

FIFA forward programme

Beyond competition, one of Infantino’s most important accomplishments to date is the FIFA Forward programme. As infrastructure remains central to their long-term development strategy, the programme has distributed more than USD 5 billion (Sh645 million) worldwide since 2016.  Kenya will benefit from the construction of a National Technical Centre in Machakos, a project billed at USD 4.6 million (Sh593 million), which will include a natural grass pitch, two artificial turfs and administrative facilities.

The FIFA President confirmed receiving the land deeds for the facility from President William Ruto during a visit to Kenya.

“Every Kenyan that I met was excited about the future of Kenyan football, an emotion FIFA shares about the National Technical Centre in Machakos, which will be realised through the FIFA Forward Programme. I received the deeds to the land from President William Ruto, and we now await the news of this project,” he revealed.

The project, located in the outskirts of Machakos town, will be crucial in nurturing talent while improving coaching standards and readiness of national teams for major competitions. Under the leadership of FIFA Global Director and ex-Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger, the ‘Talent Development System (TDS)’ aims to launch 75 talent academies, expected to reduce quality gaps between footballing nations.

Infantino’s decade in charge has also been defined by structural reforms to major tournaments. The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, increasing participation chances for smaller emerging nations. FIFA has equally revamped the Club World Cup format to broaden global representation.

Harambee Stars are also set to participate in the FIFA Series 2026, a mini-tournament aimed at creating meaningful international friendly matches between national teams that would never normally face each other, supporting technical progress and increasing exposure. Their Group A matches are scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, during the March international window.

The FIFA boss also noted Kenyan football figures such as Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Vice President McDonald Mariga and former captain Victor Wanyama have participated in FIFA’s Players’ Executive Programme, which prepares retired and active players for leadership and administrative roles.

Infantino was re-elected in 2019 and again in 2023. As he enters the next phase of his presidency, he maintains development, inclusion and competitive expansion remain central to FIFA’s agenda.

“As I look back at my last 10 years at FIFA, I am excited about what the future holds,” he concluded.

For Kenya, expanded international pathways and infrastructure projects present chances to strengthen our position in global football. Even though there’s still much to be done, Africa might be experiencing one of its best periods yet.

Major milestones achieved by Gianni Infantino after a decade in office

• Expansion of the FIFA World Cup
• Launch of "FIFA Forward" programme
• Transformation of women’s football
• Record-breaking revenues
• Revamp of the FIFA Club World Cup
• Implementation of VAR and technology
• Governance and ethics reforms
• Global youth talent development
• Player protection and welfare
• "Football for Schools" initiative