‘Deeply appreciate his efforts...’: Infantino receives backing from 6 Arab federations

Zurich: Embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino received a crucial boost on Thursday as six Arab football federations declared their "full support" and "confidence" in his leadership amidst a growing international governance crisis surrounding a scrapped World Cup private investment initiative.

The joint pledge of endorsement came from 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon, and Sudan. Significantly, four of the signatories serve on the powerful FIFA Council.

"We, the undersigned leaders of our respective football associations, express our full support for Mr. Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, and reaffirm our confidence in his leadership and continued commitment to the development of football worldwide," the joint declaration stated.

"We deeply appreciate Mr. Infantino's sustained efforts to advance football globally, expand opportunities across all regions and strengthen the game's role in bringing people and communities together."

The statement further added that the leaders "look forward to continuing our close cooperation with him towards a stronger and more prosperous future for world football, expanding opportunities and further enhancing Arab football's contribution to the global game."

Infantino is confronting severe institutional pushback after putting forward a $20 billion proposal to sell stakes in the FIFA World Cup to private equity firms. Although he subsequently abandoned the plan following fierce opposition from top football authorities, the backlash has continued to escalate.

Also read: India withdraws from FIFA ASEAN Cup, prioritising Brazil friendly

European governing body UEFA, along with North American confederation CONCACAF and Asia's AFC, published an open letter on Monday condemning the initiative. The confederations criticized the proposal as a "fundamental breach of trust" and characterized the handling of the situation as "deception," with UEFA warning of potential boycotts covering all FIFA matches and events.

Adding to Infantino's administrative woes, the Football Association of Ireland officially revoked its endorsement for his re-election campaign on Thursday, citing in a statement that "recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation." This move follows similar decisions by the football associations of England and Wales last week, while Northern Ireland aligned itself with UEFA's official position.

Division within the Asian Confederation

The endorsement from Qatar and Lebanon exposes a clear rift within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), as both nations chose to back Infantino despite the AFC's joint stance with UEFA and CONCACAF. Infantino's official Instagram account has highlighted letters of solidarity from multiple member bodies, including Morocco, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

The high-ranking FIFA Council members backing the Swiss-Italian executive include Qatar Football Association President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Egyptian Football Association President Hany Abo Rida, Moroccan Football Federation President Fouzi Lekjaa, and Mauritanian Football Federation President Ahmed Yahya. The declaration was also endorsed by Lebanese Football Association President Hashem Haidar and Sudan Football Association President Moatasem Gafar.

Infantino, who has led world football's governing body since 2016, had previously been expected to secure re-election unopposed at FIFA's upcoming congress in Morocco. Challengers looking to contest the presidency have until the November 18 deadline to submit their candidacies. (PTI)