Six Arab federations back FIFA's Infantino amid revolt
The heads of six Arab soccer federations declared their full support for Gianni Infantino on Thursday, August 13, as the FIFA president fights to keep his job following the collapse of his World Cup private-investment plan.
The backing came from Morocco, a co-host of the 2030 World Cup, along with Qatar, Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon and Sudan, four of whose federation heads sit on the FIFA council.
In a joint statement, the signatories affirmed their confidence in Infantino's leadership and commitment to football's global development, saying they valued his efforts to expand opportunities across regions and strengthen the sport's role in connecting people.
They said they looked forward to continued cooperation with him toward a stronger future for world football and greater Arab representation in the global game.
Infantino is facing a broader revolt after proposing to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors in a plan valued at $20 billion. He withdrew the proposal after strong pushback from global soccer bodies, including European governing body UEFA, which has warned of a possible boycott of FIFA events.
UEFA joined with CONCACAF, the North and Central American and Caribbean confederation, and the AFC, the Asian confederation, in an open letter Monday, August 10, calling the plan a serious breach of trust.
The Football Association of Ireland said Thursday, August 13, it had withdrawn its backing for Infantino's expected re-election as FIFA president in March, citing concerns over governance, transparency and a lack of meaningful consultation. The football associations of England and Wales took the same position last week, while Northern Ireland said it was siding with UEFA.
By backing Infantino, Qatar and Lebanon broke from the position of the Asian Football Confederation. Infantino's official Instagram account has previously shared letters of support from federations including Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The four FIFA council members among Thursday's signatories were Qatar Football Association President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Egyptian Football Association president Hany Abo Rida, Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa and Mauritanian Football Federation president Ahmed Yahya.
The other two signatories were Lebanese Football Association president Hashem Haidar and Sudan Football Association president Moatasem Gafar.
Infantino has led FIFA since 2016 and had appeared set for unopposed re-election next year in Morocco. FIFA has set a Nov. 18 deadline for challengers to come forward.
(Sourced through PTI)
