Infantino Says Majority Still Back Him as FIFA President

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has insisted that the majority of member associations still support his leadership despite calls for his resignation over a controversial commercial rights proposal.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Infantino dismissed questions about stepping down, saying he had the backing of the “vast, vast majority” of world football.

The controversy followed the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which would have involved selling part of FIFA’s competition commercial rights to a private investment firm. Infantino later withdrew the proposal.

European football’s governing body, UEFA, and other confederations had raised concerns about the plan, accusing Infantino of breaking trust.

UEFA has also asked FIFA to release key documents relating to the proposal by 2 November, saying several important questions remain unanswered.

Infantino said FIFA would respond to the questions through the appropriate legal process but did not give a specific date for releasing the documents.

He admitted that FIFA had made some decisions that could have been handled better and said the organisation needed more regular discussions with UEFA to improve their relationship.

However, he maintained that he continued to enjoy strong support from member associations across Asia and Africa.

Infantino said different opinions were normal within an organisation as large as FIFA, adding that all views should be respected.

He also stressed that FIFA’s member associations would ultimately decide who should lead the organisation and how it should be run.

Infantino, who has been FIFA president since 2016, is seeking another term in the election scheduled for March next year.

The deadline for candidates to confirm their intention to challenge him is 18 November. No challenger has yet formally entered the race.