This content is reserved for users located in France owing to broadcasting rights acquired only for that territory. Initially allied with Uefa and Concacaf against the aborted plan to create a commercial company, the president of the Asian Football Confederation (Afc), Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, has finally given his backing to the candidacy of FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Another heavyweight endorsement for Gianni Infantino. Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation (Afc), said on Friday that the regional body would support the Italian-Swiss official’s bid for re-election as FIFA president. The Bahraini administrator — at one point tipped as a credible candidate to stand against Infantino — had previously backed the opposition to Infantino’s aborted plan to sell the commercial rights to FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, to private investors.

He had joined the presidents of Uefa and Concacaf in drafting an open letter describing the “Fifa Forward Enterprise” (Ffe) project drawn up by Infantino as a “fundamental breach of trust”. Infantino apologised for the mistakes made “with regard to the communication and consultation process” concerning the Ffe project.

In his opening speech at the Afc Extraordinary Congress in Tokyo, Sheikh Salman said his confederation supported Infantino. “I think we of course reaffirm our full commitment to supporting you and your leadership as you seek a new term as president of FIFA,” he said, addressing the Italian-Swiss, who was present at the Extraordinary Congress. Infantino is standing for re-election in March, seeking a fourth term running until 2031. Potential candidates must submit their candidacy before 18 November.

Disagreements in the past

Several key Afc members, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, had publicly expressed their support for Infantino, and although Sheikh Salman acknowledged that he had not agreed with the FIFA president on certain issues, he said it was important to look to the future. “I want to be clear: yes, we have had some disagreements that we discussed in the past, but let us not link these two things,” conceded the Bahraini, who is also seeking a fourth term next year.

With lequipe.fr