On Thursday, the leaders of six Arab football federations extended their “full support” and “confidence” to Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president who is currently battling to retain his position following the collapse of his private investment strategy for the World Cup.
The endorsement came from Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon, and Sudan, four of whom are members of the FIFA council.
“We, the undersigned leaders of our respective football associations, express our full support for Mr. Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, and reaffirm our confidence in his leadership and ongoing commitment to the development of football worldwide,” the statement read.
“We sincerely value Mr. Infantino’s continuous efforts to promote football globally, broaden opportunities across various regions, and strengthen the sport’s role in uniting people and communities.”
The signatories stated they “look forward to ongoing collaboration with him towards a stronger and more prosperous future for world football, expanding opportunities, and enhancing the contributions of Arab football to the global game.”
Infantino is facing opposition after his proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors was met with outrage from global football officials, including European governing body UEFA, which threatened to boycott all FIFA events.
UEFA, alongside CONCACAF (the governing body for North, Central America, and the Caribbean) and the AFC (the Asian Football Confederation), sent an open letter on Monday denouncing Infantino’s plan as a “fundamental breach of trust,” characterizing it as “deception.”
Additionally, the Football Association of Ireland announced Thursday that it would no longer support Infantino’s re-election for FIFA president in March, citing “recent events that have raised considerable concerns regarding governance, transparency, and the absence of meaningful consultation.”
Last week, the football federations of England and Wales made similar announcements, while Northern Ireland expressed its support for UEFA’s position.
By backing Infantino, Qatar and Lebanon have positioned themselves against the Asian Football Confederation. Infantino’s official Instagram account has previously showcased letters of support from several member federations, including Morocco, Qatar, and the UAE.
The four FIFA council members who signed the statement included Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani from the Qatar Football Association, Hany Abo Rida from the Egyptian Football Association, Fouzi Lekjaa from the Moroccan Football Federation, and Ahmed Yahya from the Mauritanian Football Federation.
Also signing were Hashem Haidar, president of the Lebanese Football Association, and Moatasem Gafar, president of the Sudan Football Association.
On Thursday, Patrice Motsepe, a FIFA vice president and the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), stated that any opposition to Infantino should go through the proper electoral process.
“If anyone has an issue with anybody, whether it’s Gianni or anyone else, it’s important to follow the process, follow FIFA’s procedures,” Motsepe told Sky News. “If you want to challenge him, go for elections; let the 211 member associations decide. That way, the vote will reveal whether they have confidence in him or not.”
“We need to be cautious. Elections are coming up next year; shouldn’t we allow that process to unfold?”
Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016 and is expected to run for re-election unopposed next year in Morocco.
FIFA has set a deadline of November 18 for any potential challengers to come forward.
Information from The Associated Press and PA was utilized in this report.