Mauritania FA president backs Infantino to remain FIFA chief

Mauritania Football Federation president Ahmed Yahya has thrown his support behind Gianni Infantino, insisting that the FIFA president should remain in charge of world football.

Yahya defended Infantino’s leadership, pointing to the expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 48 teams and plans to increase financial support for football development across the globe.

“I am certain that Gianni Infantino is the right president. The majority want Gianni Infantino to stay,” Yahya said.

The Mauritanian football chief believes FIFA’s development initiatives under Infantino can create more opportunities for young players, particularly in countries where access to quality facilities and football infrastructure remains a challenge.

He highlighted a proposal to provide each of FIFA’s 211 member associations with up to $25 million over four years, arguing that the investment could help improve playing conditions and strengthen football development programmes worldwide.

The proposed funding forms part of efforts to increase financial assistance to member associations, with a focus on infrastructure, youth football and the development of the game at grassroots level.

Yahya believes such support is particularly important for smaller football nations, which often face financial and infrastructural challenges in their efforts to develop players and compete internationally.

He also defended FIFA’s governance structure, stressing that all member associations have an equal vote at the FIFA Congress, regardless of their financial strength, population or standing in international football.

According to Yahya, the principle of equality ensures that smaller nations have a voice in decisions affecting the global game, rather than allowing the wealthiest and most powerful football associations to dominate the organisation’s direction.

The Mauritania FA president also addressed calls for reforms within football administration, arguing that changes should not be restricted to FIFA alone.

He said national football associations and continental confederations should also examine their structures and practices to identify areas where governance can be improved.

Yahya expressed confidence that Infantino and the FIFA Council were open to reforms that could strengthen the organisation, improve accountability and support the continued development of football.

His comments come amid ongoing discussions about FIFA’s leadership, governance and the distribution of resources across its member associations.

Infantino, who became FIFA president in 2016, has overseen significant changes to the international game, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The expanded competition has created additional places for national teams from different confederations, while FIFA has also pursued initiatives aimed at increasing financial assistance to its member associations.

However, the impact of such changes continues to be discussed across the football community, particularly regarding the demands of an expanded international calendar, the distribution of resources and the need to ensure that investment produces sustainable development.

For Yahya, the central issue is ensuring that football associations across the world have the resources and representation needed to grow the game.

He believes Infantino’s leadership, combined with reforms at FIFA and other levels of football administration, can help advance that objective.