In Baku, with the inaugural Under-15 World Cup providing the setting, Gianni Infantino met questions about his future at FIFA with laughter rather than any suggestion that he might step aside. The FIFA president is facing mounting criticism from Europe, but has pointed instead to support gathered across Asia and Africa as he prepares for another possible mandate.
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Infantino, FIFA president since 2016, was asked whether he had considered resigning amid a series of controversies and growing pressure, particularly from UEFA. His response stressed the voting rights of FIFA’s 211 member associations and the principle that every federation has an equal voice.
“I was elected by 211 member associations from around the world,” Infantino said. “Different opinions can exist within FIFA, but if we believe in democracy, in one member having one vote and one voice of equal value, then the position of the large majority must be respected.”
He said he had just returned from Tokyo, where the Asian Football Confederation had offered its full backing. That support is significant ahead of the next presidential vote: Asia’s 46 member associations would form a substantial bloc should Infantino face a challenger.
Infantino also referred to a visit to Cape Verde, saying that Africa’s countries had similarly pledged their support. With the Asian and African confederations accounting for more than 100 votes between them, any candidate seeking to unseat the incumbent would face a formidable electoral arithmetic.
UEFA has pressed Infantino to answer 42 questions concerning recent disputes. Those include the creation of a Peace Prize seen as designed for Donald Trump, the removal of a sanction imposed on United States forward Folarin Balogun after intervention by the US president, and a proposed sale of part of the commercial rights connected to the World Cup.
The FIFA chief said he remained in contact with associations on every continent and accepted that reaching agreement was not always straightforward. “I respect every opinion,” he said, adding that FIFA’s member associations alone would decide who should lead the organisation and how it should be run.
The road to March 2027
The next FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 2027. Infantino intends to seek re-election despite UEFA’s opposition and the controversies surrounding his administration.
No other candidate has yet entered the race. Even if an alternative emerges before the vote, the declared support from Asia and Africa leaves Infantino in a powerful position as the election horizon approaches.
