AFC Backs Infantino, Strengthening FIFA Re-election Bid
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Asian Football Confederation publicly endorsed FIFA president Gianni Infantino for another term during its special congress in Tokyo, with AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa making the declaration in front of member associations and Infantino himself. The next FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March, while the nomination deadline is November 18, and no rival candidate has yet formally entered the race. Although Salman said not every AFC member supports the move, he said a majority does, underlining the political weight of Asia's 47 member associations. The endorsement came only weeks after a sharp dispute over a now-abandoned US$4.2 billion World Cup reform proposal, suggesting a rapid reconciliation between the two sides
Key Points
- At the Tokyo special congress, Sheikh Salman publicly pledged the AFC's full support for Infantino's bid for a fourth term as FIFA president
- The AFC has 47 member associations, including China and Hong Kong, and its backing gives Infantino a major voting bloc before March's election.
- The FIFA presidential election will be held in March, and the deadline for candidates to register is November 18; no opponent has formally registered yet
- Salman said not all AFC members agreed, but that most supported the decision; Jordan had opposed Infantino, while Qatar backed him
- The endorsement followed recent talks in Zurich after Infantino apologised to FIFA Council members over the failed US$4.2 billion World Cup reform plan
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the AFC's move matters because Hong Kong is one of the confederation's 47 member associations, so shifts in AFC politics can affect how the region's football interests are represented inside FIFA. The speed of the reconciliation also suggests Infantino is entering the election from a position of strength, reducing the likelihood of a contested leadership race in world football.