Key facts
- Asian football chiefs have backed FIFA president Gianni Infantino's re-election bid.
- The endorsement follows weeks after they accused him of a "fundamental breach of trust."
- Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, head of the Asian Football Confederation, announced the support on October 23.
- Infantino apologized for the handling of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project.
- Infantino is seeking a fourth term as FIFA president, with elections in March 2027.
Asian football chiefs have reversed their opposition and backed FIFA president Gianni Infantino's re-election bid on October 23, weeks after accusing him of a "fundamental breach of trust." The endorsement from the Asian Football Confederation, led by Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, comes as Infantino seeks a fourth term ahead of the March 2027 elections.
Sheikh Salman stated that differences with Infantino had been resolved and reaffirmed full commitment to supporting his leadership. Infantino had faced calls to resign over a failed attempt to bring private investors into a new commercial entity holding rights linked to competitions including the World Cup. Infantino apologized for the handling of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project at a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich in October.