Confederations again Gianni Infantino’s run in 2027 head of soccer’s international governing physique.
Printed On 30 Apr 2026
FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s hopes of securing re-election as the top of world soccer have acquired an unlimited enhance after pledges of assist from the African and Asian regional confederations.
The Confederation of African Soccer (CAF) and the Asian Soccer Confederation (AFC) each stated on Thursday that they may again Infantino if, as anticipated, he stands for a fourth time period as FIFA supremo in 2027.
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In a short assertion earlier than the FIFA Congress in Vancouver on Thursday, CAF stated it had “unanimously agreed” to assist Infantino when the FIFA chief stands for re-election in 2027.
The Asian Soccer Confederation additionally promised to assist Infantino.
“FIFA is in its greatest place ever and we provide our continued and full assist to [Infantino] as a candidate for FIFA President for the time period 2027-2031, simply because the AFC and Asian soccer has all the time supported him since his election in 2016,” AFC President Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa stated in an announcement.
The African and Asian confederations account for 101 votes in FIFA’s presidential election out of a complete of 211.
Infantino had already secured assist for his re-election from South American soccer’s ruling physique, CONMEBOL, which is price an additional 10 votes.
Infantino took over as head of FIFA in 2016 within the wake of the corruption scandal that led to the downfall of Sepp Blatter.
He was subsequently re-elected to the submit in 2019 and 2023.
Though FIFA statutes restrict FIFA presidents to 3 phrases in workplace, Infantino is allowed to run for re-election subsequent 12 months after the physique dominated that his first, partial time period from 2016 to 2019 after Blatter’s ouster didn’t depend in the direction of the full.
Infantino has confronted controversy throughout his reign over his shut ties to United States President Donald Trump, who was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize throughout final 12 months’s World Cup draw.
That led to a proper grievance being lodged with FIFA’s ethics committee final 12 months by the advocacy group FairSquare, which alleged that the award breached FIFA’s guidelines regarding political neutrality.
Infantino has additionally confronted criticism for initiatives throughout his reign, together with increasing the World Cup to 48 groups and launching the revamped 32-team FIFA Membership World Cup final 12 months.
The Swiss official, although, has presided over report revenues throughout his tenure, and this 12 months’s World Cup is anticipated to rake in an estimated $13bn.
FIFA below Infantino has additionally dramatically elevated funding distributed to FIFA’s 211 member associations through its FIFA Ahead Program. Within the cycle from 2027 to 2030, FIFA has pledged to distribute $2.7bn to members, an eight-fold improve in contrast with 10 years in the past.
