Infantino declares 211 votes secure after Asian confederation switches allegiance
The AFC's endorsement of FIFA's president isolates European critics and cements his path to a fourth term ending in 2031.
By Jasmine Coleman ·
FIFA President Gianni Infantino declared on Friday that he commands the support of 211 member associations, a figure that effectively secures his bid for a fourth term. The announcement followed the endorsement of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), a decisive shift that leaves European opposition increasingly isolated.
Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, president of the AFC, stated that the confederation is united behind Infantino. This endorsement arrived just three months after Infantino faced calls to resign following the failure of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. That plan sought private investment for an entity to control commercial rights for major competitions, a move that initially drew criticism from the AFC, UEFA, and CONCACAF.
Infantino addressed the controversy during a BBC interview, laughing when asked if he had considered stepping down. He noted that he had just returned from Tokyo, where the AFC endorsed him, and from Cape Verde, where African nations did the same. "I was elected by 211 member associations from all over the world," he said, arguing that a democratic organization must respect the views of the vast majority even when different points of view exist.
The change in position by the AFC has exposed the lack of a viable alternative candidate for the presidency. While a divided CONCACAF and the AFC's reversal have weakened the European bloc, the criticism persists. Infantino apologized at a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich last week for the handling of the FFE proposal, though that gesture did not sway associations from Germany and England.
The 56-year-old Swiss-Italian administrator maintained a conciliatory tone during the interview. "It's OK to disagree," he said, "but then we need to be able to move on." He acknowledged the difficulty of aligning differing views but stated that member associations will ultimately decide how FIFA is run.
Potential candidates for the FIFA presidency must submit their nominations by November 18. Infantino is seeking a fourth term that would extend his leadership until 2031.
Source: Al Jazeera
