FIFA’s Infantino backed by six Arab federations including Qatar and Morocco
Football’s top official boosted by further support for his presidency after proposed private investment in game nixed. Six heads of Arab national football associations, including 2022 World Cup host Qatar and 2030 World Cup cohost Morocco, have joined the growing backing for FIFA President Gianni Infantino with football’s world governing body in crisis after a failed private investment plan. Infantino, who is seeking re-election next year, has faced open revolt after three confederations – UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF – called for him to quit over his aborted bid to bring private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. The statement was signed by the heads of the national federations of Qatar, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, Egypt and Mauritania. Despite the opposition of the three confederations in Europe, Asia, North and Central America and the Caribbean, which represent 136 of the 211 member associations who will vote in the FIFA presidential election in March, Infantino still has plenty of allies in the game.
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The Swiss administrator had proposed carving off the commercial rights to the World Cup and selling 20 percent to private investors to raise about $4.2bn. “Recognising the important role of Arab football in bringing people together and strengthening cooperation among football associations across the Arab world, we … express our full support for Mr Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, and reaffirm our confidence in his leadership and continued commitment to the development of football worldwide,” the heads of the six federations said in a joint statement.
