Hungarian Football Association (MLSZ) President Sándor Csányi appeared in a live television cutaway from the first semi-final game between two previous World Cup champions, Spain and France, shown among Sergio Ramos, Iker Casillas, Carles Puyol, and Xavi Hernández, all representing the backbone of the Spanish golden generation which won the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
Spain won 2–0 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after an unexpectedly clear victory over Kylian Mbappé’s side. Mikel Oyarzabal converted a 22nd-minute penalty before Pedro Porro scored in the 58th minute, sending the Spaniards into their first World Cup final since Casillas lifted the trophy in Johannesburg.
Csányi is one of the most well-known businessmen in Hungary and has served as the president of MLSZ since 2010. He is also chairman and chief executive of Hungarian bank OTP, a FIFA vice-president, and UEFA treasurer and vice-president.
As somebody inescapable in Hungarian football, Csányi was close to former prime minister Viktor Orbán during the past 16 years, with the two frequently appearing in the VIP section at national-team games or league matches.
The football tycoon took control of MLSZ after Orbán returned to power in 2010, and the two became associated with football development, sports diplomacy, and the public financing of stadiums and academies. While retaining an independent economic power base through OTP, he also held chairmanships and board positions at university-maintaining public-interest foundations linked to the previous government.
That closeness matters now as Prime Minister Péter Magyar and the Tisza Party launched ‘Operation Purgatory’, a sweeping constitutional overhaul removing President Tamás Sulyok from power through a tailor-made clause in the so-called 17th amendment to the Fundamental Law. The package includes the establishment of the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office to examine public assets managed or transferred under the former government. Csányi already resigned in June from the boards of the two university foundations as Tisza restructured the system.
Besides Csányi, Orbán might also have been present in Dallas on Tuesday, as he left Hungary for the United States intending to attend both semi-finals and Sunday’s final in Seattle. The former prime minister was caught at Frankfurt Airport by an Index journalist at the same time Magyar delivered the opening speech to the vote on the 17th amendment. Orbán later posted on Facebook, reacting to the passed vote, claiming that democracy had died in Hungary.
Orbán leaving Hungary at the time Fidesz was accusing the government of tyranny has sparked criticism of the former prime minister, accusing him of turning his back on both his party and his voters. The Fidesz leader had already promoted a protest against the removal of Sulyok and, besides István Szakács, a pro-Orbán political influencer controversially arrested last week, ultimately did not attend.
Gergely Gulyás, Orbán’s former minister, resigned as parliamentary group leader of Fidesz on the same day Orbán departed Hungary, citing the vote on the amendment, which also imposes a 12-year term limit on MPs, making many opposition MPs ineligible to run in the next election. Gulyás said he informed Orbán on Friday, while the parliamentary group apparently learned only on Monday. Fidesz said in a statement that the faction would elect his successor only after 21 July, when Orbán is due to return from the World Cup.
The final is scheduled for Sunday, 19 July, where Spain will meet the winner of Wednesday’s much-awaited clash between historic arch-rivals England and Argentina.
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