Politics · India Bureau
Infantino seeks Asian support for FIFA re-election campaign
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is traveling to Japan this week to secure backing from Asian football leaders for his re-election bid. The move comes after he apologized to FIFA's ruling council for missteps in proposing a controversial $4.2 billion World Cup restructuring plan.
LSN India ·
Infantino is scheduled to meet with officials from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Wednesday at a Tokyo hotel in what is expected to be a closed-door session. The gathering represents a key phase in his campaign to retain the presidency of world football's governing body.
Last week in Zurich, Infantino addressed FIFA's 37-member council—which he chairs—to apologize for errors in his handling of a now-abandoned proposal to create a subsidiary company to manage World Cup operations. The council serves as FIFA's primary decision-making authority with representatives from across the globe.
AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had initially opposed Infantino's World Cup restructuring initiative, though recent reports suggest the two may be moving toward alignment. The AFC's support could prove decisive in Infantino's re-election efforts, given Asia's significant voting power within FIFA's governance structure.
As part of his campaign outreach, Infantino has committed to establishing an independent review mechanism for FIFA's decision-making processes. The initiative aims to address concerns raised by critics of his leadership and past proposals.