Infantino’s FIFA fate must go to an election, says Africa football chief

What the report says

Africa football chief Patrice Motsepe has said Gianni Infantino’s future at FIFA should be decided through an election rather than by pressure from rival confederations, as the FIFA president faces growing criticism over his aborted plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors. The comments came after Ireland’s football federation joined England and Wales in withdrawing support for Infantino, while UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC issued a joint letter sharply questioning his leadership.

Motsepe, who leads the Confederation of African Football and also serves as a FIFA vice president, argued that anyone with concerns should use FIFA’s internal processes and allow member associations to vote in March, when Infantino could seek re-election. He said CAF had already backed Infantino and suggested the disputed World Cup financing discussions would still need final approval from FIFA members.

The dispute highlights a wider governance struggle inside world football. According to Al Jazeera’s reporting, UEFA has also threatened boycotts of the World Cup and Club World Cup over the issue, reflecting deep divisions among football’s regional power blocs. Infantino has apologised for the controversy, but criticism has continued to mount.

The article also notes support from six Arab federations, including Qatar, Morocco and Egypt. For now, the key question is whether FIFA’s membership will settle the matter at the ballot box or whether the pressure on Infantino will force a different outcome before next year’s election.