Infantino cites 211 votes as Asian bloc shifts support
FIFA president says member associations back his fourth bid after abandoning the commercial rights plan.
By Jonathan Hoffmann ·
Gianni Infantino dismissed questions about a potential resignation during a BBC interview, asserting that 211 member associations still support his leadership. The Swiss-Italian administrator laughed when asked if he had considered stepping down, pointing to the broad base of his mandate.
The recent friction stems from the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. That plan sought private investment for a new entity to control commercial rights for major competitions. Infantino abandoned the initiative, which triggered calls for his departure roughly three months ago.
His standing improved on Friday when Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation, endorsed Infantino for a fourth term. Sheikh Salman stated that Asia was united behind the FIFA chief. This endorsement followed a similar full backing from African countries during Infantino’s recent trip to Cape Verde.
Infantino told the BBC that he was elected by associations from all over the world. He argued that in an organization like FIFA, different viewpoints exist, but those who value democracy must respect the views of the vast majority.
The Asian shift has isolated European football. The AFC had previously joined UEFA and CONCACAF in criticizing the commercial proposal. A divided CONCACAF and the AFC’s change of course have left Europe increasingly alone. These moves also exposed the lack of a viable alternative candidate for the presidency.
Infantino is seeking a term that runs until 2031. Nominations for the position must be submitted by November 18. He apologized at a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich last week for the handling of the commercial plan, a gesture that did not sway European associations, including those from Germany and England.
Despite the ongoing disagreement, Infantino struck a conciliatory tone in the interview. He said it is okay to disagree, but leaders need to be able to move on. He acknowledged that bringing differing views together is difficult but said the decision belongs to the member associations on who they want to run FIFA.
