The Confederation of African Football’s Executive Committee unanimously confirmed its support for beleaguered FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday, at odds with its counterparts in Europe, North America and Asia.
On the day UEFA said it is committed to boycotting future World Cups at all levels while Infantino remains in office, CAF’s top decision-making body sided with the FIFA president as he seeks re-election in March next year.
CAF makes up 54 of FIFA’s 211 member associations, and is a powerful voting bloc that has largely supported Infantino since he took office in 2016.
“The CAF EXCO unanimously reconfirmed its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino and thanked him for his support for African football over the years,” CAF said in a statement.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe welcomed FIFA’s pledge to review the processes that led to the controversy which sparked the fiercest revolt of Infantino’s tenure as national federations complained they had been sidelined over the abandoned proposal to sell a slice of the World Cup’s commercial future.
“CAF welcomes and endorses the “Joint Update” by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom,” Motsepe said, but stressed the need for good governance and transparency in global football.
“We are committed to continue working together with FIFA, its member associations, other football Confederations and stakeholders to safeguard and adhere to governance, due process, and transparency global best practises and to contribute to the development and growth of football worldwide.”
CAF’s support will provide some relief to Infantino, who has faced near global condemnation for his aborted plan to establish the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) and sell commercial rights to the World Cup.
Earlier this week, five of Africa’s most influential football leaders issued statements in support of Infantino, while also welcoming the decision to drop his controversial plan to sell a stake in future World Cup revenue.
CAF Vice President Fouzi Lekjaa from Morocco and fellow FIFA Council members Hany Abo Rida (Egypt), Hamidou Djibrilla (Niger) and Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania) all pledged to support Infantino.
Veron Mosengo-Omba, recently elected president of the football federation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and former CAF general secretary, also lent his voice in support.
Motsepe was also effusive in his praise for Infantino days before the World Cup sell-off scandal broke.
“I personally support Gianni Infantino,” he said. “He’s not just a good friend. He’s a loyal friend. He’s loyal to Africa. I come from a background where when people have been loyal to you, you never stab them in the back.”
