Infantino Gets Asian Backing In FIFA Re-election Bid

FIFA president Gianni Infantino received a major boost in his bid for a fourth term after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa pledged his support ahead of next year’s election.

Sheikh Salman announced his endorsement at the AFC Congress in Tokyo, Japan, reversing his position two months after joining European and North American football leaders in criticising Infantino over his proposed World Cup investment scheme.

“We reaffirm our full commitment, of course, to supporting you as you seek a new mandate as president,” Sheikh Salman told delegates.

The AFC chief had previously signed a joint letter with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani accusing Infantino of breaking trust “through deception” over his proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme, which sought to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

The letter described the proposal as “a profound failure of judgement” and questioned whether such conduct reflected the leadership football deserved.

However, Sheikh Salman urged members to put the disagreement behind them and unite in support of Infantino.

“Yes, we had some issues, we spoke about them in the past, but let’s not relate the two things together,” he said.

“As one Asian family, we are ready to move forward, united in your support, Gianni.”

Infantino welcomed the endorsement, praised Sheikh Salman’s leadership, and promised continued cooperation between FIFA and the AFC.

“You’ve been doing a fantastic job in the AFC in the last 13 years, my dear Salman,” he said.

“You will do fantastically as well for as many years as you want. And always, always with my full support, with the partnership of FIFA, because we have seen what we have been doing in the last years.”

Asked about the AFC’s position, Infantino said he felt great about the confederation’s support.

The election is scheduled to take place in Rabat, Morocco, in March, with candidates required to confirm their participation by November 18. No challenger has formally entered the race, raising the possibility that Infantino could stand unopposed.

Potential rivals, including Montagliani and Ceferin, have indicated that they will not contest the election.

The AFC’s endorsement strengthens Infantino’s position alongside support from Africa and South America. Asia has 46 votes, while Africa has 54 and South America’s CONMEBOL has 10. UEFA has 55 votes, CONCACAF 35 and Oceania 11.

The backing comes amid continuing questions about FIFA’s governance and decision-making. Naija News reports that Infantino apologised for his World Cup investment proposal but did not provide a full explanation of how it was developed during a FIFA Council meeting on October 15, 2026.

He also proposed increasing global football development funding by $3.4bn (£2.6bn).

UEFA has since demanded that FIFA release key documents and answer questions about its governance and decision-making by November 2.