CAF set to reveal stance on Infantino’s controversial FIFA investment plan

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is expected to decide next week whether to support Gianni Infantino’s FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, an initiative that has already been rejected by three other continental confederations.

UEFA, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have all publicly opposed the idea of allowing private investors to acquire a stake in the project. The three bodies accuse FIFA of handling the proposal with excessive secrecy.

Together, UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC represent 136 member associations 21 more than the number of votes that elected Infantino as FIFA president in 2016.

UEFA, which has 55 members, has already threatened to boycott the World Cup if the proposal remains in place. It has called on FIFA to withdraw the plan “dans son integralite” and provide “que des assurances contraignantes soient donnees que la FIFA n’ouvrira plus jamais sa gouvernance”.

The AFC, led by Sheikh Salman Bin Al Khalifa, who is regarded as an ally of Infantino, has also joined the opposition. It said the FIFA model for governance and decision-making had exposed serious weaknesses and should be reformed.

According to Eurosport, the private shares would be purchased by an investment fund called US Thrive Capital. The report said the fund belonged to the younger brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law. That revelation has intensified criticism of the cordial relationship between the United States president and the FIFA president.

CAF has not yet disclosed its position. However, the organisation has announced that its executive committee will meet next week after receiving a letter from FIFA asking for its opinion on the proposal.

Financial pressure on African football

There are already indications that some African football officials could support the plan. Said Ali Said Athouman, president of the Comoros Football Federation, has openly expressed his willingness to consider it.

The Comoros official pointed to the severe financial difficulties faced by football authorities across Africa, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Gianni Infantino has promised $20m to the federations that back the project, with the amount expected to increase progressively over time.

That offer could prove attractive to national associations struggling to fund football in their countries. Said Ali Said Athouman summed up the appeal by saying: “On ne refuse pas 20 millions de dollars”.

The financial problems facing football are widespread, including in Togo, Burkina Faso, the Comoros and Tanzania. For many federations, additional funding would provide an important source of support and could represent a lifeline if the proposal is approved.

However, some analysts have described the offer as a form of disguised corruption. Football officials in the affected countries face a difficult choice between maintaining sporting principles, protecting the wider interests of the game and securing the economic survival of football at home.

The position of countries such as Morocco could be decisive. Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, is highly influential in African and global football governance, although he has not yet made a public statement on the FIFA initiative.

His response is being closely monitored by football stakeholders and could help move CAF towards either supporting or rejecting the proposal. Morocco’s status as a co-host of the 2030 World Cup adds further importance to Lekjaa’s eventual position.

CAF’s decision next week could therefore become a crucial moment for Infantino’s plan, which has already triggered a major dispute over FIFA’s governance and the role of private investment in the World Cup.