In Tokyo, with Gianni Infantino in the room, Asia delivered the signal that could define FIFA’s presidential race in Rabat on 18 March. Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has moved from recent criticism of Infantino’s governance to a public pledge of unity behind him, placing the AFC’s 47 member votes firmly at the centre of the election.
Key takeaways
- Sheikh Salman declared that the AFC is ready to stand together behind Infantino ahead of the FIFA presidential vote.
- Asia’s 47 associations represent a major bloc within FIFA’s 211-member Congress.
- The potential opposition is now largely confined to UEFA and CONCACAF, although Mexico is not aligned with that position.
- The deadline for candidates to enter the election is 18 November.
- FIFA has permanently abandoned the proposed outside-investment plan for a stake in its competitions.
Tokyo changes the electoral map
The AFC congress in Japan’s capital marked a sharp reversal from the position Salman adopted only three months ago. The Bahraini official, beaten by Infantino when the Swiss first won the FIFA presidency a decade ago, had joined concerns over the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which envisaged selling a share of FIFA competition interests to external investors.
At the time, Salman questioned the lack of consultation and transparency around such a significant proposal. Alongside UEFA and CONCACAF, he called for an urgent examination of FIFA’s governance. His name subsequently surfaced as a possible rival candidate for the March ballot.
That possibility now appears remote. Speaking in Tokyo, Salman said solidarity remained the confederation’s greatest strength as it looked towards a stronger and more competitive future, adding that Asia was prepared to move forward together in support of Infantino.
The declaration followed FIFA’s confirmation that Qatar will host the final three matches of the 2026 Intercontinental Cup. Qatar had previously taken a different line from some within its own confederation, but the announcement and Salman’s embrace of Infantino have reinforced the sense that the AFC is moving behind the incumbent.
With Africa and South America already providing strong backing, Infantino’s support base has widened considerably. UEFA, with 55 associations, and CONCACAF, which has 41, face a much harder task if they are to assemble a credible challenger. Early discussion had included CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, the Canadian official, after Aleksander Ceferin was ruled out of consideration.
Ceferin instead intends to seek a third UEFA term at the confederation’s April 2027 congress in Astana.
Infantino’s retreat on investment plan has not ended European scrutiny
The new alignment comes one week after Infantino addressed the fallout from the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal at the first FIFA Council meeting held after the World Cup, on 15 October in Zurich.
Infantino apologised for errors in both the management and communication of the initiative. He said the plan to bring outside investors into FIFA’s commercial competitions had been withdrawn for good and would not return in another form, while urging the governing body’s members to restore unity.
He also outlined a funding programme drawing on FIFA reserves that would more than double the planned distribution for the 2027-30 cycle. The total package is valued at $6.35 billion, with each member association set to receive $25 million if the proposal is approved by the Congress in March.
A working group containing representatives from every confederation is also due to review FIFA’s governance arrangements in detail.
Those concessions have not satisfied UEFA. Legal challenges have already been initiated, while Europe’s seven representatives on the FIFA Council have demanded written answers by 2 November on financial issues and potential conflicts of interest that could involve Infantino.
For now, though, the road from Zurich to Rabat looks markedly clearer for the FIFA president. Asia’s switch has removed the prospect of a united AFC-UEFA-CONCACAF candidacy and left the opposition searching for a route through a Congress increasingly shaped by the votes of the wider football world.
