African football leaders back Gianni Infantino after World Cup revenue plan dropped

Leading African football officials have backed Fifa president Gianni Infantino as he seeks support from the continent’s 54 member associations before next March’s presidential election.

Five influential figures have publicly welcomed Infantino’s decision to abandon a controversial proposal to sell a stake in future World Cup revenues, while also expressing confidence in his leadership.

Their statements were issued before a meeting of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) executive committee on Thursday. The abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise plan is expected to be discussed, despite Infantino withdrawing it on Friday after facing intense opposition.

The proposed scheme had aimed to raise $4.2bn through a new commercial rights body. It remains on the agenda for the CAF meeting, although there is no certainty that African football’s governing body will take a formal position on Infantino’s future.

CAF has so far avoided publicly criticising the Fifa president. Last Wednesday, it said only that it would study the Fifa Forward Enterprise initiative. That restraint contrasts with the position taken by Asia, Europe and Concacaf – which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean – all of which said over the weekend that they had lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership.

Support from influential officials

Among those backing Infantino are CAF vice-president Fouzi Lekjaa of Morocco and three fellow Fifa Council members: Hany Abo Rida of Egypt, Hamidou Djibrilla of Niger and Ahmed Yahya of Mauritania.

Veron Mosengo-Omba, who was recently elected president of the football federation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and previously served as CAF general secretary, has also issued a message in support of Infantino. The pair studied at university in Switzerland.

The statements used similar language. Each welcomed Infantino’s decision to drop the proposed commercial venture before praising his work and declaring support for the Fifa president.

African associations played an important part in Infantino’s election victory in 2016, when he promised to more than double the development funding distributed to Fifa’s member associations.

That financial support has helped maintain his popularity with many African members. A number of those associations face serious financial difficulties and now rely heavily on Fifa funding to operate and compete.

“Our problem is how to obtain money. Right now, we have no sponsors. So how do we compete?” said Said Ali Athouman, president of the Comoros Football Federation.

The financial gap between African associations and wealthier countries is also reflected in facilities, medical support and player development.

“The richest nations can train players, have infrastructure and equipment and it’s no coincidence they then achieve results. Most European countries don’t have these problems.

“Our government is not able to make sure they have medical supplies in hospitals and at the same time to look at football. Malawi needs money. Malawi needs stadiums,” added Fleetwood Haiya, president of the Football Association of Malawi.

Fifa’s funding system gives each of its 211 member associations baseline support of $8m over a four-year cycle. CAF also provides its members with an annual grant.

The practice of awarding grants to national associations was first proposed by Infantino’s predecessor, Sepp Blatter, during his 1998 election campaign against Lennart Johansson. Blatter won with the backing of most African countries, who had not previously received financial assistance from world football’s governing body, even though CAF had formally endorsed Johansson, then Uefa president.

Infantino retained the policy after becoming president, changing its name from the Goal Project to Fifa Forward and substantially increasing the available funding.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe had offered strong support for Infantino only days before the controversy over the proposed World Cup revenue sale emerged.

“I personally support Gianni Infantino,” he said. “He’s not just a good friend. He’s a loyal friend. He’s loyal to Africa. I come from a background where when people have been loyal to you, you never stab them in the back.”

Reuters