Infantino gains six Arab endorsements as FIFA faces commercial rights backlash

Six Arab football associations have renewed their support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, as he faces a growing crisis over a private investment proposal that has drawn criticism from three confederations.

The presidents of the football associations of Qatar, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan and Mauritania issued a joint statement on Thursday backing Infantino, who is preparing to stand for re-election as FIFA president in March.

They said they had full confidence in his leadership and his commitment to developing football across the world.

The statement, published by Reuters, described Arab football as an important force for bringing people together and strengthening co-operation between associations in the region.

“We reaffirm our full support for Gianni Infantino and renew our confidence in his leadership and his continued commitment to developing football around the world,” the six presidents said.

The backing carries added significance because four of the six signatories are also members of the FIFA Council. They are Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Hany Abo Rida, Fouzi Lekjaa and Ahmed Yahya.

The association presidents added: “We greatly appreciate Gianni Infantino’s continued efforts to develop football globally, expand opportunities for all regions and strengthen the role of the game in bringing people and communities together.”

They also said they looked forward to continuing their co-operation with the FIFA president to build a “stronger and more prosperous future for world football”, while widening opportunities and increasing the contribution of Arab football to the international game.

The statement comes at a difficult point in Infantino’s presidency. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf have publicly objected to an investment project aimed at restructuring the commercial rights to some FIFA competitions.

Infantino had proposed separating the commercial rights to the World Cup and selling a 20% stake to private investors. The plan could have generated about $4.2bn, but he withdrew it after facing widespread criticism.

Some Asian associations had expressed disappointment when the proposal was revealed, with their position appearing close to UEFA’s objections over the way the initiative had been presented.

The latest Arab support highlights the fact that national associations do not necessarily share the position of their continental confederations. Each national association has one vote in the FIFA presidential election.

Infantino will need 106 votes to secure a simple majority if he faces only one opponent. If there are three or more candidates, he will need a two-thirds majority in the first round 141 votes to guarantee victory.

The controversy surrounding the investment proposal has become one of the largest challenges of Infantino’s time in office. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf have criticised the way FIFA has handled the plans and called for changes to the leadership of the governing body.

The six associations’ declaration therefore provides a fresh show of support for Infantino from national bodies, even as opposition from parts of the confederation structure continues to develop ahead of the March election.