African Football Leaders Back FIFA President Infantino

Leading African football administrators have voiced their support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who faces pressure regarding his leadership. This backing comes as Infantino seeks support from Africa's 54 member nations to retain his position in the upcoming FIFA presidential election. The support also follows Infantino's decision to drop his contentious plan to sell a stake in future World Cup revenue.

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Leading African football administrators have sent messages of support to embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino as he looks to the continent’s 54 member’s ‌for backing in a bid to keep his job.

Several influential African football leaders have issued statements supporting Infantino. Their messages were released ahead of a Confederation of African Football (CAF) executive committee meeting today, where the abandoned plan to raise $4.2 billion from a new commercial rights body will be discussed. While football bodies in Asia, Europe, and CONCACAF have expressed a loss of confidence in Infantino, CAF has remained largely silent, offering Infantino hope for support from its large membership.

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Five of the continent’s influential football leaders have issued statements that offer Infantino support while also welcoming the decision to drop his controversial plan to sell a stake in future World Cup revenue.

CAF had previously stated it would study Infantino's FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative, but he withdrew the project on Friday amid significant pressure. Although the initiative remains on the CAF meeting agenda, the governing body's stance on Infantino's future is uncertain. However, key committee members, including CAF Vice President Fouzi Lekjaa from Morocco and FIFA Council members Hany Abo Rida (Egypt), Hamidou Djibrilla (Niger), and Ahmed Yhaya (Mauritania), have declared their support.

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All released similarly worded messages welcoming Infantino’s decision to abandon the project before praising him and expressing support.

Veron Mosengo-Omba, president of the football federation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and former CAF general secretary, also issued a supportive statement. These leaders praised Infantino and welcomed his decision to abandon the project. African countries were instrumental in Infantino's 2016 election victory, largely due to his promises to significantly increase development funding for FIFA's member associations. This financial support remains a key factor in his popularity among African members, many of whom rely on FIFA funds for their operations.

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African countries helped Infantino to his election success in 2016 on ‌the back ⁠of his promises to more than double development money dispensed to FIFA’s member associations.