Five African football chiefs back FIFA president Infantino

Five influential African football leaders have publicly backed FIFA President Gianni Infantino as he seeks to shore up support ahead of a crucial presidential election next March. Their statements of support come despite widespread criticism from other continental bodies over a now-abandoned plan to sell a stake in future World Cup revenue.

The leaders, including high-ranking officials from Morocco, Egypt, Niger, Mauritania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, issued similarly worded messages welcoming Infantino's decision to drop the controversial commercial proposal. Their support was declared ahead of a scheduled meeting of the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) executive committee on Thursday, August 6, 2026, where the abandoned initiative is expected to be discussed.

This African backing represents a critical lifeline for Infantino, who faces a mounting crisis of confidence. Over the past weekend, football governing bodies for Asia, Europe, and North and Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF) all stated they had lost confidence in his leadership following the proposed sale. CAF itself had only said it would study the plan, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise,...