FIFA’s Infantino backed in Colombia where he attends president inauguration

What the report says

FIFA president Gianni Infantino received fresh public backing from several South American football figures during a visit to Colombia, where he attended the inauguration of President Abelardo de la Espriella in Cali, Al Jazeera reported. Photos published by the Colombian Football Federation showed Infantino with CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez and federation chief Ramon Jesurun.

According to the report, the visit came as Infantino faced continued criticism over FIFA’s handling of a recently abandoned plan to open the World Cup to private investment. UEFA had maintained pressure, while some South American associations had voiced concern about FIFA’s unilateral decisions. Even so, CONMEBOL and several member federations, including Argentina, Paraguay, Venezuela and Ecuador, offered support and welcomed the withdrawal of the investment proposal.

Dominguez said football should move forward through dialogue, while Ecuadorian federation president Francisco Egas Larreategui expressed confidence in Infantino and the current FIFA leadership. Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016 and is expected to seek a fourth term in next year’s presidential election, did not directly answer questions about whether FIFA’s problems were over.

Al Jazeera also reported that Infantino later appeared at a children’s football event in Cali, where he described football as a source of joy and unity. The setting was notable because Colombia’s new president chose to hold the inauguration in Cali rather than in the national capital, Bogota.