Africa stands by Infantino as FIFA president faces growing global revolt

African football leaders have reaffirmed their support for Gianni Infantino despite mounting pressure on the FIFA president after his abandoned plan to sell a stake in a World Cup commercial subsidiary to private equity investors.

The backing from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is significant because Africa has the second-largest voting bloc in FIFA elections. Infantino is seeking re-election next year, with the vote scheduled to take place in Morocco in March 2027.

His position has appeared increasingly vulnerable in recent weeks. UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC have criticised him in a strongly worded open letter, describing the plan to sell a 20% minority stake in a $20bn commercial subsidiary to a private investor group as a “fundamental breach of trust”.

The proposed group was led by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.

The three confederations said: “when trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned”.

Infantino has faced a wider revolt since the plan collapsed, but African football’s senior leadership has remained publicly loyal to him. The level of support he enjoys among ordinary fans and people across the continent is less clear.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe offered one of the earliest endorsements, although his comments came before the investment proposal became public. Speaking at a news conference in Johannesburg on 22 July, Motsepe praised Infantino as “not just a good friend, he’s a loyal friend. He’s loyal to Africa …”

At the time, Infantino was already under intense scrutiny over the 2026 World Cup in North America. Motsepe described that tournament as the most successful in history, despite the unprecedented controversies surrounding a competition being staged in the United States under the administration of Donald Trump.

CAF vice-president Fouzi Lekjaa of Morocco, one of the co-hosts of the 2030 World Cup, has also been vocal in his support for Infantino.

After deliberating, CAF issued a firm statement of backing last week.

“We are committed to continue working together with Fifa, its member associations, other football confederations and stakeholders to safeguard and adhere to governance, due process,” Motsepe said.

Why African support matters

Infantino has maintained a close relationship with Motsepe and helped him secure the CAF presidency. Before Motsepe’s election in 2021, FIFA brokered an agreement that led his opponents to withdraw their candidacies.

Following his election as FIFA president in 2016, when he succeeded disgraced Sepp Blatter, Infantino introduced the FIFA Forward Programme. It replaced Blatter’s Financial Assistance Programme and increased the financial support available to national associations.

That funding has made smaller federations, many of them in Africa, potentially decisive to Infantino’s political survival. While such grants are not central to the survival of larger European associations, they have been hugely influential for smaller countries, helping to modernise football structures.

More than $1.2bn has been invested through FIFA Forward in CAF, its regional bodies and national associations. The money has funded modern training centres, stadium improvements and more sustainable administrative systems across Africa.

Motsepe’s relationship with Infantino has nevertheless attracted suspicion in parts of the continent. Critics have also questioned the decision to move the Africa Cup of Nations from a two-year to a four-year cycle from 2028, a change promoted by the FIFA president.

For now, the financial influence of both administrators appears to outweigh those concerns.

Africa’s position can be viewed as transactional, but the continent also has reasons to be cautious about any attempt led by UEFA to remove the incumbent. Motsepe has played a central role in a cooperation agreement between Aleksander Ceferin’s UEFA and CAF. The memorandum of understanding runs until 2031 and covers knowledge exchange, training programmes and joint youth initiatives designed to support sustainable development in football across both continents.

However, Africa and Europe have historically disagreed over FIFA policy and leadership. UEFA has never explicitly supported increasing the number of World Cup places awarded to African teams. Ceferin opposed expanding the tournament from 32 to 38 teams, arguing it devalued qualification and produced “uninteresting” matches.

Resistance to more African places at the World Cup, alongside perceived disrespect towards the Africa Cup of Nations, has also been expressed by prominent European football figures and coaches. Former UEFA president Michel Platini opposed increasing the number of places for Asian and African teams, instead arguing for a broader expansion of the competition.

That leaves Africa facing a difficult choice. Infantino’s apparent personal ambition, expansive leadership style and close engagement with resurgent right-wing governments most notably his public praise of Trump and the decision to award the US president a controversial FIFA Peace Prize have made him an unattractive leader for the wider interests of the sport.

Yet African leaders believe he remains the president most capable of advancing the continent’s interests.

That may not prove the best long-term course for African football, which remains part of the global game. Until a credible successor emerges who can offer Africa more than Infantino, however, the continent appears likely to maintain its support.