Asia Backs Infantino: AFC Endorses FIFA President in U-Turn Two Months After ‘Breach of Trust’ Row

There was major relief for FIFA president Gianni Infantino from Asia. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has formally said it is endorsing Infantino for another term as FIFA president. Only two months ago the same body had accused him of a ‘fundamental breach of trust’ — making this reversal a significant turn in world football politics.

At the AFC's extraordinary congress in Tokyo on Friday, president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa embraced Infantino with a large hug in front of the membership as he delivered the endorsement. ‘We affirm our full commitment to supporting you and your leadership as you seek a new mandate as the FIFA president,’ he said.

The AFC has 47 member associations. Even if not all members follow Friday's direction, those that do could be key to guaranteeing another mandate for Infantino, who leads the governing body of world football and is seeking a fourth term.

The FIFA election will be held in March. The deadline for candidates to file against Infantino is 18 November, and so far none has filed. With no rival in the field, the backing of each continental body effectively smooths his path to victory.

Addressing Infantino, Sheikh Salman said: ‘You've visited a lot of countries in Asia. I've spoken to a lot of members within this continent. I know your feeling, and I think your commitment is clear as well.’ He indicated that not every AFC member would go along with the endorsement, but most would. ‘My feeling is, I'm sure, the feeling of most of my members,’ he said. ‘And I've said that to you.’

The stance is an abrupt turnaround for Sheikh Salman. Just over two months ago, the AFC joined the football governing bodies of Europe and of North and Central America in saying Infantino had committed a ‘fundamental breach of trust’. At the centre of the dispute was a now-scrapped $4.2 billion plan to sell a stake in FIFA events, including the World Cup, to private investors.

Infantino apologised last week in Zurich to FIFA's 37-member ruling council, which he chairs, for ‘mistakes’ he made in assembling that plan. Although everyone in the room knew that background when the AFC endorsement was announced, it was not discussed in detail on stage.

In his speech, Sheikh Salman referenced the differences with Infantino but glossed over any details. ‘Gianni, I want to make it clear: yes, we had some issues we spoke about in the past,’ he said. ‘But let's not relate the two things together. I think the last few days we met in Zurich, you made it clear that there's a true understanding between us.’

He added: ‘The past, I'm sure, is part of our history. We've all, I'm sure, learned important lessons from it. What matters now is how we move forward together. I think everyone has questions, and I'm sure the answers will be available, whether to us in Asia or the rest of the world.’

FIFA's media office has been promoting Infantino's travels around the world, in what is seen as an effort to seek votes in exchange for millions more dollars in financial support for small and large football countries. Sheikh Salman also mentioned those travels, saying: ‘Thank you for being here. I know you have been everywhere. I don't know how you can do it. But I'm sure that you set a record for being in almost every country.’

He then joked that, perhaps, Infantino had a ‘clone’. That drew a laugh. But the largest applause came at the end of his brief address, when he repeated his support: ‘As one Asian family, we are ready to move forward, united in your support, Gianni. I want to make that clear today.’

Infantino then took the podium and kept his remarks light, while acknowledging some errors. ‘When you do many things, you do — hopefully, as we did, many good things — you do some mistakes as well,’ he said. ‘The important, however, is, as you said, to learn, to learn always from the experience, from the mistakes, to apologise, to move ahead, to come together, to unite, to build for our future, for your future.’

The largest applause came as he mentioned how, under his leadership, millions more are flowing to FIFA's patronage network. ‘Before I started as FIFA president, each of you — some of you are still here and still remember that time — each of you was receiving $1m every four years,’ Infantino said. ‘As of the first of January of next year, it will be $25m.’ How far that financial promise lies behind Asia's support will remain a talking point in football circles.