Infantino laughs off resignation calls and claims 'vast majority' back him for re-election

Gianni Infantino laughed off questions about his future as FIFA president on Thursday, declaring he retains the backing of the “vast, vast majority” of world football’s 211 member associations and signalling his intent to stand for re-election in March.

The FIFA president came under sustained pressure this summer after his Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan — a proposal to sell commercial stakes in the World Cup to private investors — collapsed. UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) subsequently signed an open letter accusing Infantino of breaking trust through “deception” over the scheme, and UEFA called on him to resign.

Infantino’s position has since strengthened considerably. The AFC performed a notable U-turn this week, declaring its “full commitment” to supporting him — a reversal that effectively hands Infantino enough votes to secure re-election, given no candidate has yet come forward to oppose him ahead of next month’s declaration deadline.

Asked by the BBC whether he had ever considered standing down following the FFE collapse, Infantino responded with laughter before making his case. “I think what is important is that in an organisation like Fifa, there can be different views, different points of view,” he said. “But if we are serious about democracy, about the democratic process, about believing that everyone has the same vote and the same voice all over the world, that football belongs to everyone, if we are serious about that, then we need to respect as well the views of the vast, vast majority.”

Infantino pointed to recent travel as evidence of his broad support base. “I’m just coming back from Tokyo where the Asian Football Confederation has fully endorsed me. I was in Cape Verde where all African countries have endorsed me. I’m speaking to all associations everywhere in the world,” he said.

Despite the AFC’s change of position, UEFA has remained firmly opposed to Infantino and is preparing a legal challenge against him in the United States. Infantino acknowledged that further “dialogue” with European football’s governing body was necessary, conceding that the relationship remains unresolved.

Infantino has also outlined plans for internal reform within FIFA and last week apologised to members of the FIFA Council over the handling of the FFE proposals — a rare public admission that the episode damaged trust at the organisation’s highest level.