Gianni Infantino secured a key endorsement for his re-election bid as the Asian Football Confederation backed his candidacy on October 23, 2026, during an extraordinary congress in Tokyo, as Infobae reported.
In less than three months, the Asian Football Confederation passed from rejecting the presidency of Gianni Infantino to returning its support to him.
The endorsement marks a sharp reversal from August 2026, when AFC President Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa accused the FIFA leader of a “breach of trust” over a commercial project. By October, however, Salman greeted Infantino with an embrace in Tokyo and said that the two organizations share a common purpose. During the extraordinary congress celebrated in Tokyo this October 23, he assured that now both have “a shared vision.”
“While we look forward to a future more bright and competitive, our solidarity remains our greatest strength,” Salman told the Extraordinary Congress in Tokyo, according to coverage from El Nacional. “We are ready to advance, united in support of the FIFA president, Gianni Infantino.”
đŁïž Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa has endorsed Gianni Infantino's bid for re-election despite previously accusing the FIFA President of a "breach of trust". Addressing Infantino at the AFC's extraordinary congress in Tokyo, Sheikh⊠pic.twitter.com/2F5nhehdUy
Infantino Apologizes for Commercial Project Errors to Restore Relations
The reconciliation follows intense friction over the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, a proposal to sell a 20% stake in the World Cup’s commercial rights to private investors.
Infantino subsequently withdrew the project and issued an apology in Zurich for management and communication errors. Following a bilateral meeting in Switzerland, Salman indicated that clear understanding had been restored between leadership groups, urging members not to mix past disagreements with future governance. After meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, the FIFA president made it clear to him that “there is a true and clear understanding” between them.
Gianni Infantino at the @theafcdotcom Extraordinary Congress 2026: " âWe have seen the transformation that Asian football, and as a consequence world football, has gone through in these years. It has become truly global. It has become for everyone, and this would not have been⊠pic.twitter.com/E9AO7DgHZAâ
Infantino praised the growth of the sport across the continent during the Tokyo gathering, stating that Asian football experienced a global transformation. “We have seen the transformation that Asian football, and as a consequence world football, has gone through in these years,” Infantino said, according to official transcripts cited by El Nacional.
Global alignment ahead of 2027 elections
With the Asian confederation’s backing secured, Infantino remains the favorite heading into the FIFA Congress scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco. Additional support has come from the Oceania Football Confederation, which declared its backing on August 14, 2026, alongside ongoing support from the Confederation of African Football and Conmebol.
Resistance remains within UEFA and Concacaf, where several member associations, including those from England and Germany, continue to voice criticism regarding FIFA’s administrative direction. Despite these dissenting voices, Infantino stands as the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential vote.
Salman concluded his remarks in Tokyo by emphasizing regional unity. “As an Asian family, we will move forward united to support you, Gianni,” he said, according to El Nacional.
Breaking: open letter from the presidents of UEFA, Concacaf and Asian confederations accuses Infantino of deception. pic.twitter.com/LNQtYzm0Gp
