Six Arab football federations on Thursday backed FIFA president Gianni Infantino as pressure rises on the official ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon and Sudan declared their “full support” and confidence in Infantino after the collapse of his controversial private investment plan for the World Cup. “We express our full support for Mr. Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, and reaffirm our confidence in his leadership,” the six confederations said in a statement released on Thursday.
Infantino has come under fire since a plan to sell private stakes to investors in FIFA’s commercial World Cup business in a proposed deal, according to some reports, worth up to $20 billion, crumbled.
UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation had complained FIFA created a “fundamental breach of trust” over the proposed scheme, while Ireland, England and Wales rescinded support for Infantino, currently serving his first term since becoming FIFA President in 2016. Northern Ireland have also joined European football’s governing body in rejecting Infantino.
Nonetheless, Infantino can take strength from the endorsement of six Arab federations who said they remain committed to his vision of developing football worldwide.
African football confederation president Patrice Motsepe, on the other hand, questioned calls to depose the current FIFA President, asking those seeking to remove him to stand up and take him on in elections.
FIFA president has stated November 18 is the closing date for election declarations from candidates.
