Danny Jordaan backs Infantino after securing fourth term as SAFA president

South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan has backed FIFA president Gianni Infantino and his plans for greater private investment in football, despite growing opposition to the proposal.

Jordaan was re-elected as SAFA president on Sunday after defeating challenger Sandile Zungu by 157 votes to 82 at the association’s elective congress in Midrand.

His victory gives him another term at the helm of South African football, having first been elected in 2013 after succeeding Kirsten Nematandani.

Jordaan has now joined a number of African football leaders who have publicly expressed their support for Infantino ahead of the FIFA presidential election in March 2027.

Infantino’s FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal has attracted criticism in some quarters, particularly over concerns about the involvement of private investment in football.

But Jordaan said he supported the principle behind the proposal, while acknowledging concerns over the lack of consultation with FIFA’s member associations.

“We support Gianni Infantino, and I’ll tell you why,” Jordaan said.

“The issue pertains to private investment in football business. In England, a lot of the teams are completely owned by corporate entities and managed by private equity.

“The Spanish La Liga is also partly owned by a private investment company. PSG is owned by a country, Qatar.

“I don’t agree with the lack of consultation with the FIFA members.”

Jordaan revealed that Infantino and Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe were among the first people to contact him after his re-election.

The 74-year-old also rejected suggestions that SAFA’s regional structures had failed to contribute to football development, pointing to the progress made by South Africa’s national teams.

Bafana Bafana have recently returned from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the United States, where they competed after securing qualification for the tournament.

‘I don’t appoint myself’

One of the major talking points ahead of the SAFA elections was Jordaan’s decision to seek another term despite saying after his 2022 re-election that it would be his last.

Jordaan, who defeated Ria Ledwaba and Solly Mohlabeng in that election, said he had not unilaterally decided to remain in office.

“I don’t appoint myself within SAFA even if you may think that way, because SAFA is a democratic organisation,” he said.

“Tomorrow they can have a vote of no confidence and I’ll be out.

“We can’t have someone new come in and start from day one in terms of placing South Africa in the global context.”

Jordaan also said SAFA would continue working with FIFA on its long-term development strategy.

“We are having a workshop with FIFA to deal with Vision 2030,” he added.

The newly elected 41-member SAFA National Executive Committee includes five women, an increase from three in the previous leadership.

However, the NEC is largely dominated by members of Jordaan’s Football Transformation Forum (FTF) camp, with only four representatives coming from the Save Our SAFA (SOS) group that supported Zungu.

The new leadership also combines younger officials with more experienced administrators, with most NEC members having held leadership positions during Jordaan’s previous term.

Jordaan’s re-election means he will remain at the centre of South Africa’s football administration as SAFA seeks to build on Bafana Bafana’s return to the World Cup and address wider concerns around domestic football development and governance.