Asian football chief backs Infantino’s FIFA re-election bid after rights-plan dispute
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa pledged support for Gianni Infantino at a Tokyo congress, despite their earlier clash over FIFA commercial rights.
Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa backed Gianni Infantino’s bid for re-election as FIFA president at an AFC congress in Tokyo on October 23. His endorsement gives Infantino a public pledge of regional support after a dispute over a proposal to sell commercial rights to FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors.
Addressing Infantino, who was present at the extraordinary congress, Sheikh Salman said the AFC reaffirmed its commitment to supporting his leadership as he sought a new mandate. The remarks establish the confederation president’s position; neither report documents a separate vote by AFC member associations.
Why Sheikh Salman’s endorsement matters
The backing marks a change in tone from Sheikh Salman’s earlier opposition to Infantino’s FIFA Forward Enterprise plan. Reuters reported that he joined the presidents of UEFA and CONCACAF in an open letter describing the proposed sale of tournament commercial rights as a ‘fundamental breach of trust’. The plan did not go ahead, and Infantino apologised for mistakes in how it was communicated and discussed.
Sheikh Salman acknowledged the disagreement in Tokyo, saying he and Infantino had discussed issues in the past but should not tie them to the election. He called for football’s governing bodies to move forward with a shared purpose. Infantino later said he felt great about the AFC’s support, Reuters reported.
Several prominent AFC members, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, had already publicly supported Infantino, according to Reuters. Africa has also backed his re-election, while UEFA continues to oppose him. Reuters reported that UEFA had written to FIFA seeking answers about Infantino’s presidency, including the rights proposal and the FIFA Peace Prize.
FIFA election timetable
Infantino is seeking a fourth term in the March election, which would run through 2031. Potential challengers must submit nominations by November 18, Reuters reported. Sheikh Salman is also seeking a fourth term as AFC president next year; at the Tokyo congress, Infantino praised his leadership and offered him FIFA’s continuing support.
The endorsement follows an earlier period of uncertainty over Sheikh Salman’s position. NewsJaws previously reported on Infantino’s planned Tokyo meeting with Asian football leaders as support for his re-election remained divided.
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Sources and context
- Asian football endorses Infantino re-election as FIFA presidentAFP, carried by Yahoo Sports
- Asian Football Confederation boss says governing body is backing InfantinoReuters, carried by Channel NewsAsia
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.