Re-elected Yacine Idriss Diallo affirms support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino

Côte d’Ivoire Football Federation (FIF) President Yacine Idriss Diallo has reaffirmed his support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino following his own re-election at the FIF elective General Assembly in Yamoussoukro on Saturday.

Diallo secured a second term at the helm of Ivorian football on Saturday, September 12, 2026, and used the occasion to make his position clear on the current situation surrounding FIFA and its leadership.

Addressing the issues currently confronting the world football governing body, Diallo acknowledged what he described as “the storm that is currently blowing on FIFA” while insisting that disagreements must be handled within the organisation’s established structures.

“We are respectful of the statutes. If there are disagreements, they must be settled within FIFA,” Diallo said.

The FIF president also stressed that African football faces challenges that are different from those confronting Europe and other regions, arguing that the continent has benefited from FIFA’s support.

“We are in Africa, we support FIFA. We have our problems that are not the problems of Europe,” he stressed.

Diallo further explained that African football federations have collectively established their position in support of FIFA’s initiatives aimed at accompanying the continent’s development.

“For my part, I am an African and the African federations have stated their position. Our position is to say: we support FIFA in all its structural actions that accompany Africa,” he said.

“Africa’s problems are not Europe’s problems, nor those of Asia or America. But our own problems, we know them, and FIFA has helped us. In our African culture, gratitude is part of our values.”

Diallo ultimately left no doubt about his position on Infantino, who has already secured his re-election as FIFA president.

“For the moment, Gianni Infantino has our support,” he declared.

The Ivorian administrator’s comments reinforce the strong backing Infantino continues to receive from influential African football leaders, while also highlighting the importance of FIFA’s development programmes to African member associations.

Diallo’s re-election now gives him another mandate to lead Ivorian football, with his administration expected to continue working closely with FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on the development of the sport.