Fleetwood Haiya says Malawi’s rise makes Infantino the right choice for FIFA

Malawi Football Association president Fleetwood Haiya says Gianni Infantino has earned his full support to remain as FIFA president after the country’s women secured a historic place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

Malawi reached the semi-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which is currently being held in Morocco, and booked their first appearance at a Women’s World Cup. Haiya believes the achievement would not have been possible without Infantino’s investment in African football and his focus on giving less-developed football nations greater opportunities.

Speaking exclusively to Reuters on Wednesday, Haiya said Malawi’s breakthrough was a direct result of the FIFA president’s vision.

“If we look at what Infantino has achieved in developing football for less fortunate member associations and for Africa in general, I would be very surprised if he did not receive the support of any African association,” he said.

Haiya said his continued backing for Infantino, who is facing increasing pressure, was based on the FIFA president’s commitment to equal opportunities, grassroots football and the women’s game.

“He believed in us when we spoke to him about our projects, and as a result Malawi qualified for the World Cup for the first time,” he said.

“What more could one need from a president than someone who listens to you and believes in your vision?”

Infantino recently withdrew a controversial proposal to sell a share of the commercial rights to the World Cup for $4.2bn. The plan had raised governance concerns, and Haiya said its withdrawal had been the correct decision.

However, he added that it should be replaced by another system capable of providing financial assistance to poorer football associations.

Haiya said a proposed grant of $40m would have been transformative for Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries, where football infrastructure remains severely limited.

“The proposed $40m would have been a game-changer for us,” he said. “Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, and we have serious problems with infrastructure. If you saw the pitches where our girls who qualified for the World Cup train, you would be shocked. We have the talent, but we lack the resources.”

The Malawi FA president said his support for Infantino was “firm and unwavering” and that he welcomed any democratic challenge to the FIFA president at the election in March.

But he also called on any potential challenger to set out their plans for Malawi and explain what they would offer the country.

“Anyone who wants to challenge Infantino should declare their intentions and explain what they will provide for Malawi,” Haiya said.

“So far, I am satisfied with the way he manages FIFA. The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know. If you asked me now, I would say I support Infantino and I will nominate him.”