Africa’s 54 football associations unanimously back Infantino for 2027 Fifa election

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has secured the unconditional backing of all 54 African football associations for his re-election bid in March 2027.

The commitment was announced by Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe at a conference in Cape Verde on Thursday, giving Infantino the support of more than a quarter of the 211 voters who will decide the next Fifa president.

“There is a unanimous decision by the 54 Caf member associations to unconditionally support Gianni as president of Fifa,” Motsepe told delegates.

“This is because of the history and the support that Gianni has given to African football.”

The endorsement comes after Infantino was forced to abandon a controversial plan to sell a stake in Fifa tournaments earlier this year. The proposal faced opposition, mainly from European and North American countries, many of which have since withdrawn their support for him ahead of next year’s presidential election.

Former Switzerland defender Ramon Vega said on Wednesday that he plans to challenge Infantino in the election. On Thursday, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin announced that he would seek another term leading European football’s governing body, removing one of the most prominent potential candidates from the field of possible challengers.

Infantino, who was elected Fifa president in 2016, used his address in Cape Verde to highlight the organisation’s financial contribution to African football.

“As Fifa president, I am proud to have contributed with you a little bit in this revolution [in African football] in the last 10 years,” he said.

“With the Fifa Forward programme we have invested $1bn in 10 years in Africa, with 124 different projects and many other actions.”

Although he did not directly mention the abandoned tournament investment proposal, Infantino said disagreements should be handled through dialogue.

“When you go through a journey, sometimes concerns are raised,” he said.

“When they are raised, we have to address them. As far as we are concerned at Fifa, we address them always with the spirit of dialogue and with open arms, an open heart and an open mind. We can always be better and do better.”

Infantino also promised that Fifa would continue providing resources to help develop football across the continent.

“Our commitment is to make sure that your football is going to continue to improve and grow, give you more opportunities. Ten countries at the [last] World Cup has been a success for the entire continent,” he said.

“We need to continue together on this path, because it is up to you as Caf to tell us what you want. How we can make you stronger and better.

“We will continue to look for the resources and the increases [in funding] that are necessary to boost the African game to the top of world football.”