In Cape Verde, where football’s smaller nations often speak with a weight beyond their size, Gianni Infantino received a valuable public endorsement from all 54 African member associations as the contest for the FIFA presidency moves closer.
Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football, said Africa would stand unanimously and unconditionally behind Infantino’s bid for another term. The declaration came with Infantino alongside him at a regional meeting, reinforcing the Swiss official’s position before a March election whose nomination deadline is approaching.
African backing put on record
Each of FIFA’s 211 member associations has one vote, and continental blocs cannot always guarantee complete discipline when the ballot arrives. Motsepe nevertheless stressed that CAF’s 54 associations had reached a collective decision.
He said their support was “unanimous and unconditional”, adding that the word unconditional reflected both the discussions already held, Infantino’s record and what he described as the FIFA president’s fundamental commitment to African football.
The stance had been expected, but its confirmation in front of representatives from all CAF members gives Infantino a significant platform with roughly 40 days remaining before candidates must formally enter the race.
The governance dispute after the World Cup
- After the World Cup, Infantino advanced plans for a privately funded company that would have brought FIFA competition commercial and sporting rights under central management.
- The proposal drew resistance, including from figures otherwise supportive of the FIFA president, and was withdrawn within days.
- Opponents remained active despite the withdrawal, with UEFA emerging as the principal organiser of resistance to Infantino’s leadership.
- UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation later issued a joint statement restating their objections. On paper, their three confederations account for 136 voters, although divisions have regularly appeared, particularly among smaller Caribbean and Asian associations.
The proposed commercial structure altered a mood in which Infantino had previously been widely viewed as likely to secure another term. Yet the opposition has still not put forward a candidate to challenge him.
Meetings and deadlines ahead
- FIFA’s Council is due to meet on 15 October, its first gathering since the post-World Cup dispute over the abandoned commercial plan.
- Before that meeting, Infantino wrote to all 211 member associations saying he was willing to discuss changes to FIFA governance and inviting federations to submit proposals for consideration.
- On 18 November, the nomination period for the FIFA presidency closes.
- The election itself is scheduled for March, when Infantino will seek re-election.
There have also been signs of a softer approach from Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the AFC president. In a letter sent to the heads of FIFA’s six confederations, including UEFA and Concacaf, he proposed a constructive examination of ways to strengthen governance at the global body.
No challenger declared
Victor Montagliani, the Concacaf president, has been discussed for weeks as a possible opponent to Infantino, but has not confirmed any FIFA candidacy. He has indicated to people close to him that he intends to seek another mandate at Concacaf instead.
Aleksander Ceferin, meanwhile, announced on Thursday that he will pursue re-election as UEFA president. He has consistently ruled himself out of the FIFA contest.
For now, the political map remains unsettled beyond Africa’s clear declaration. Infantino has a continent behind him in public, while Europe and its allies continue to press the governance argument without yet presenting the name that would turn that argument into an electoral challenge.
