Asian football makes U-turn, endorses Infantino re-election

The head of Asian football on Friday said the region supported Gianni Infantino’s bid for re-election as FIFA president, weeks after stinging criticism over his aborted World Cup selloff plan.

The 56-year-old Swiss was present at a Tokyo meeting of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) when president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa gave his unequivocal backing, in a significant boost to Infantino’s prospects of extending his reign.

The AFC in August had joined European body UEFA and CONCACAF, representing federations in North and Central America and the Caribbean, in condemning Infantino over his plan to open FIFA’s premium competitions such as the World Cup to private investors.

Infantino has faced calls to quit and lost the support of some associations in his bid to be re-elected to a fourth and final term.

“I think that we reaffirm our full commitment, of course, to supporting you and your leadership as you seek a new mandate as FIFA president,” said Sheikh Salman.

“I think you’ve visited a lot of countries in Asia. I’ve spoken to a lot of members within this continent.

“I know your feeling and I think your commitment is clear as well. Your support to Gianni is very clear.”

Hinting at previous discord, Sheikh Salman told the AFC Extraordinary Congress and Infantino: “Gianni, yes, we had some issues we spoke about in the past.

“But let’s not relate the two things together. We need to move forward… football is strongest when we work together.”

Infantino, who apologised last week for the failed private investment project, has headed FIFA since 2016 and is running for re-election in March.

– Grateful Infantino –

In response to the AFC’s backing, Infantino said: “We have seen the transformation that Asian football, and as a consequence world football, has gone through in these years.

“It has become truly global. It has become for everyone, and this would not have been possible without a strong, a united, a committed Asia. And for this, I thank you very much.”

The deadline for candidates to declare for the election is November 18.

No heavyweight candidate has put themselves forward to run against Infantino so far, despite outspoken condemnation, most notably from Europe.

Many leading European national associations have withdrawn their support for Infantino over controversies including his close relationship with US President Donald Trump.

Two months ago the AFC and Sheikh Salman signalled they could turn on Infantino.

A joint letter with UEFA and CONCACAF declared football “belongs to no individual”.

“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding — or demanding — power to be held,” they wrote.

“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned,” the confederations said.

Infantino has received the backing of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) while South American governing body CONMEBOL is largely supportive.

The confederations do not vote as blocs and there have been some supportive voices for Infantino from within CONCACAF.

AFC members Kuwait and 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar had previously backed him.

So too did the football federation of Saudi Arabia, which will host the 2034 World Cup.