Gianni Infantino secured the backing of the Asian Football Confederation on Friday for his upcoming FIFA presidential reelection bid, following a regional meeting in Tokyo.
Tokyo Endorsement Secures Regional Backing
Asian Football Confederation Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa announced the region’s total support during a meeting in Tokyo attended by the incumbent FIFA leader. Sheikh Salman stated that the confederation has absolute confidence in Infantino’s leadership as he runs for another term.
Sheikh Salman changed his stance to support the current president despite earlier friction between the governing bodies. The endorsement provides substantial momentum for Infantino, who currently stands as the sole officially declared candidate for the March election.
Private Investment Conflict Resolved
The reconciliation follows a contentious dispute over a classified proposal to open major FIFA competitions, prominently the World Cup, to private capital. The Asian Football Confederation had previously joined European and North American governing bodies in condemning the secret plan.
AFC endorses Gianni Infantino for fourth term as FIFA presidentThe Asian Football Confederation endorsed Gianni Infantino on Friday for a fourth term as FIFA president.https://t.co/LGPQAPLtBL
Resistance to the investment initiative had sparked intense backlash, with some officials even demanding Infantino’s resignation. However, the FIFA president issued formal apologies last week.
“Gianni, oui, nous avons eu des désaccords par le passé. Mais nous devons avancer. Le football est plus fort lorsque nous travaillons ensemble,” Sheikh Salman declared on Friday.
Electoral Timeline and Deadlines
Infantino, 56, is seeking a fourth and final term at the helm of world football’s governing body. The official FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March.
Prospective challengers face a strict deadline to enter the race. The final date for submitting official candidacies to FIFA is set for November 18.
Keep reading
