Gianni Infantino dismisses resignation claims as AFC backs fourth Fifa term

Gianni Infantino has rejected suggestions he considered resigning after the collapse of the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, saying he has the backing of member associations across the world.

The Fifa president faced calls to step down three months ago after abandoning plans for private investment in a new entity that would control commercial rights connected to major Fifa competitions.

However, his position has since strengthened. The president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, endorsed Infantino for a fourth term on Friday and said Asia was united behind him.

Infantino, 56, laughed when asked by the BBC whether he had thought about leaving his post.

“I was elected by 211 member associations from all over the world. I think what is important is that in an organisation like Fifa, there can be different views, different points of view,” he said.

“But if we are serious about democracy, about the democratic process, about believing that everyone has the same vote and the same voice all over the world, that football belongs to everyone … then we need to respect as well the views of the vast, vast majority.”

Infantino said the backing he had received extended across several confederations.

“I’m just coming back off Tokyo where the Asian Football Confederation has fully endorsed me. I was in Cape Verde where all African countries have endorsed me. I’m speaking to all associations everywhere in the world,” he added.

The AFC had previously criticised the FFE proposal alongside Uefa and Concacaf, the governing body for football in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

But the AFC’s change of position, combined with divisions within Concacaf, has left Europe increasingly isolated. It has also highlighted the absence of a credible alternative candidate for the Fifa presidency.

Infantino is seeking a fourth term, which would run until 2031. Anyone wishing to challenge him must submit a nomination by 18 November.

He apologised at a Fifa Council meeting in Zurich last week for the way the FFE proposal had been managed. That apology did not persuade European football associations including Germany and England to support him.

Infantino accepted that member associations had not been united over the proposal, but said disagreements should not prevent Fifa from moving forward.

“It’s OK to disagree … but then we need to be able to move on,” he said.

“There are different points of view. It’s not always easy to bring them all under one roof, but we need to respect and I do respect all opinions all views,” Infantino added.

“Then it will be up to the Fifa member associations to decide who they want as a president and how they want Fifa to be run.”