- August 14, 2026
Gianni Infantino Gets ‘Full Support’ From Six Arab Football Federations Amid Calls To Resign
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Six Arab football federations, including Qatar and Morocco, have expressed full support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Gianni Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016. (AP Photo)
Six Arab football federations on Thursday voiced their “full support” for Gianni Infantino, backing the FIFA president as opposition grows over his handling of a proposed private investment plan linked to the World Cup.
Besides 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon and Sudan are among the six federations that issued a joint statement reaffirming their confidence in Infantino’s leadership.
Four of the six signatories 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 continued commitment to the development of football worldwide,” the statement read.
“We deeply appreciate Mr. Infantino’s sustained efforts to advance football globally, expand opportunities across all regions and strengthen the game’s role in bringing people and communities together,” it added.
The federations said they “look forward to continuing our close cooperation with him towards a stronger and more prosperous future for world football, expanding opportunities and further enhancing Arab football’s contribution to the global game.”
Infantino is under mounting pressure following his proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors. He withdrew the $20 billion plan after strong opposition from football officials around the world, including UEFA, which has warned it could boycott FIFA matches and events.
UEFA joined forces with CONCACAF, the confederation representing North, Central America and the Caribbean, and the Asian Football Confederation in an open letter issued Monday. The groups called the proposal a “fundamental breach of trust” and described it as “deception.”
The opposition widened on Thursday when the Football Association of Ireland announced that it had withdrawn its support for Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president in March. The Irish federation said “recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation.”
England and Wales withdrew their backing last week, while Northern Ireland said it supported UEFA’s position.
New Zealand Football, part of the Oceania confederation, said Friday local time that it had also withdrawn support for Infantino’s candidature. The federation called for an independent review of the steps taken to develop the FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme.
New Zealand Football said it “formed the view that decisions and actions within FIFA have contributed to a breakdown in trust and increased division within international football, and that an independent review is required to restore confidence and trust.”
### Divisions emerge within Asia
Qatar and Lebanon’s decision to back Infantino puts them at odds with the Asian Football Confederation. Infantino’s official Instagram account has previously featured letters supporting his candidacy from several member federations, including Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The four FIFA Council members who signed Thursday’s statement are 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.
Lebanese Football Association president Hashem Haidar and Sudan Football Association president Moatasem Gafar were the other two signatories.
Infantino has served as FIFA president since 2016 and had appeared certain to secure another term without opposition next year in Morocco.
FIFA has set November 18 as the deadline for potential challengers to submit their candidacies.
With AP Inputs
Key Questions Answered
Ask News18Gianni Infantino is expected to secure another term as FIFA president, with the election scheduled for March 2027 in Morocco. He has received support from six Arab football federations, including Qatar and Morocco, as well as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Ask News18About the Author
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
August 14, 2026, 11:55 IST
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