Six heads of Arab national football associations, including Qatar and 2030 World Cup co-hosts Morocco, publicly backed FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday. The endorsement arrives as world soccer’s governing body faces an institutional crisis sparked by Infantino’s aborted attempt to secure private investment for tournament commercial rights.
An Open Revolt and a Failed Investment Bid
Gianni Infantino is seeking re-election next year amidst an open revolt from major continental confederations. UEFA, the AFC, and CONCACAF have called for the administrator to step down following a controversial proposal to carve off the commercial rights to the World Cup.
The Swiss administrator had initially planned to sell a 20 percent stake in those rights to raise about $4.2 billion. However, the ensuing furore forced a swift U-turn by FIFA leadership. Following a crisis meeting in Morocco, FIFA issued an apology to its 211 member associations regarding mistakes made in handling the proposal.
The Arab Federations’ Joint Declaration
Amidst the broader pushback from European, Asian, and North American confederations, six national associations released a joint statement on Thursday offering their full support to the incumbent FIFA president. The signatories include Qatar, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, Egypt, and Mauritania.
The declaration emphasized the unifying power of the sport across the region and reaffirmed confidence in Infantino’s administration.
Recognising the important role of Arab football in bringing people together and strengthening cooperation among football associations across the Arab world, we …
Heads of the six Arab national football associations, via Reuters
Significantly, four of the six national leaders who signed the statement—Qatar’s Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Egypt’s Hany Abo Rida, Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa, and Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya—also serve as FIFA Council members.
Financial Incentives and Fractured Alliances
The aborted investment plan was originally tied to direct financial incentives for national bodies. Infantino’s proposal included a $20 million grant for member associations for the upcoming funding cycle, an amount that could have been doubled had the private investment package been successfully ratified.
While the opposition led by UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF represents 136 of the 211 member associations eligible to cast ballots in the March presidential election, regional voting blocks remain divided. Several of the endorsing Arab bodies belong to the Asian Football Confederation, which had initially expressed disappointment over the investment scheme before this explicit display of backing.
Withdrawal of Support from Ireland
While Arab federations are doubling down on their alliance with Infantino, European dissent continues to materialize. The Football Association of Ireland announced that it had rescinded the letter of support provided to the FIFA president earlier in the year.
The FAI cited acute misgivings regarding organizational transparency and consultation.
“The association is grateful for the support that FIFA provides to Irish football, but recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation.”
FAI Board, via Reuters
The Electoral Math Ahead of March
With national associations holding individual votes regardless of broader continental confederation stances, block voting is viewed as unlikely. Infantino requires a simple majority of 106 votes if he faces a single challenger in the upcoming election. If three or more candidates enter the race, a two-thirds majority—or 141 votes—will be required in the opening round.
Related reading
