Asian Football Confederation backs Infantino for fourth FIFA term after summer rebellion

Gianni Infantino is on course to secure a fourth term as FIFA president after a sweeping global charm offensive reversed the damage caused by his failed World Cup sell-off plan, with the head of the Asian Football Confederation now publicly backing his re-election bid.

Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, speaking at the AFC Congress in Tokyo — which Infantino attended — told delegates: “We reaffirm our full commitment, of course, to supporting you as you seek a new mandate as president.” The endorsement is a striking reversal: just two months ago, Sheikh Salman co-signed a joint letter with the heads of UEFA and CONCACAF accusing Infantino of “deception” and a “profound failure of judgement.”

Sheikh Salman acknowledged the tensions directly but urged the confederation to move on. “Yes, we had some issues, we spoke about them in the past, but let’s not relate the two things together,” he said. “As one Asian family, we are ready to move forward, united in your support, Gianni.”

The shift is significant in electoral terms. At the FIFA presidential election scheduled for Rabat in March, UEFA holds 55 votes, Africa 54, Asia 46, CONCACAF 35, Oceania 11, and CONMEBOL 10. Infantino already commands strong support in Africa and South America, meaning Sheikh Salman’s endorsement effectively gives him a majority of the global football vote.

The deadline for candidates to submit their nominations is 18 November, and at present only former Tottenham and Switzerland defender Ramon Vega has publicly declared his intention to stand. Any candidate requires the backing of five national associations to appear on the ballot, and Vega claims to have secured that threshold.

Arsene Wenger has been widely discussed as a credible alternative, but there is no public indication he intends to run. The calculation for any serious challenger is a difficult one: losing to Infantino would carry its own reputational cost.

Infantino has also sought to broaden his appeal by proposing a $3.4 billion (£2.6bn) increase in football development funding distributed to member associations worldwide — a move that has reinforced his support base in smaller confederations.

UEFA, however, remains a dissenting voice. The European governing body has demanded that FIFA release key governance documents and answer questions about its decision-making processes, keeping pressure on Infantino even as the rest of the football world appears to be falling back into line.