Asian Football Confederation Reverses Stance to Back Gianni Infantino for Fourth FIFA Term

The Asian Football Confederation controls 47 of the 211 member association votes that will determine the next FIFA president in March 2027. On Friday, the regional governing body officially committed that voting bloc to incumbent Gianni Infantino, endorsing his bid for a fourth term during an extraordinary congress in Tokyo.[1]

The endorsement secures a critical mathematical foundation for Infantino as he seeks a mandate that would keep him in office until 2031. AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa delivered the backing in person, embracing the Swiss-Italian executive in front of the membership.

"We affirm our full commitment to supporting you and your leadership as you seek a new mandate as the FIFA president," Sheikh Salman told Infantino during the closed-door congress. "I know your feeling and I think your commitment is clear as well."[2]

The public display of unity marks an abrupt reversal for the Asian confederation. Just two months ago in August, the AFC aligned with European and North American officials to accuse Infantino of a fundamental breach of trust over his governance.

That summer dispute centered on Infantino's attempt to sell a $4.2 billion stake in a new commercial entity managing World Cup and premium competition rights to private investors. The proposal bypassed the FIFA Council and national associations, sparking a coordinated backlash that forced Infantino to abandon the plan.[1]

Following the collapse of the investment vehicle, Infantino formally apologized last week in Zurich to the 37-member FIFA Council. He acknowledged mistakes in his consultation process and offered an independent review of the organization's decision-making protocols.[1]

Sheikh Salman acknowledged the recent friction during his Friday address but urged the confederation to move past it. He noted that the recent meetings in Switzerland had successfully clarified the relationship between the regional body and FIFA's central leadership.

"Yes, we had some issues we spoke about in the past," Sheikh Salman said. "But let's not relate the two things together. We need to move forward... football is strongest when we work together."

Infantino's consolidated support in Asia adds to unanimous backing already secured from the Confederation of African Football and South America's CONMEBOL. With the November 18 deadline for challengers rapidly approaching, no opposing candidate has formally entered the race.

The primary remaining resistance to Infantino's tenure sits in Europe. UEFA officials have stated they lost confidence in his leadership over the investment plan and have given FIFA until November 2 to produce documents detailing recent executive decisions and the abandoned commercial venture.[1]

Despite the European scrutiny, the sheer mathematics of FIFA's one-nation, one-vote electoral system heavily favor the incumbent. If the Asian and African blocs hold their promised lines, Infantino will carry a commanding majority into the March election regardless of UEFA's next move.