Does Africa still back Infantino as Fifa president?

Does Africa still support Gianni Infantino as Fifa president?

Patrice Motsepe (left), President of the Confederation of African Football, and Gianni Infantino of Fifa, at the 2026 World Cup.

For the time being, embattled Fifa president Gianni Infantino retains allies within global football, particularly in regions where less affluent football associations have benefited from his leadership.

Infantino's position has faced scrutiny since his contentious proposal to sell stakes in Fifa's global competitions to private investors was abandoned due to opposition from some regional governing bodies.

While the African confederation (Caf) has not yet issued an official statement, prominent African football administrators have conveyed messages of support for Infantino. Five of the seven African nations on the Fifa Council—Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, and Comoros—have publicly endorsed him.

Support from the continent largely stems from Fifa's Forward programme, a funding initiative Infantino launched in 2016. Many African federations have grown increasingly dependent on this scheme to finance football projects in areas with limited commercial and government investment in the sport.

Our reporters and correspondents have outlined the positions of some key African footballing nations below.

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Infantino secured the backing of top football executives at a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday.

Morocco's emergence as a football success story in Africa has been significantly propelled by government funding, and the country has also become a crucial partner for Fifa.

Rabat, Morocco's capital, hosts Fifa's Africa regional office. The country has also hosted Fifa Club World Cups, a women's U17 World Cup, and will co-host the men's 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.

Fouzi Lekjaa, president of Morocco's football federation (Frmf), reaffirmed his support for Infantino after the controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal was withdrawn last week.

In a statement, Lekjaa described Infantino's decision to withdraw the proposal as "wise," adding that it prioritized the unity of Fifa's 211 member associations.

Infantino also received endorsement from senior football executives at a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday, following a turbulent period after the proposal's collapse.

Reporting by Celestine Karoney.

Egypt remains a steadfast regional ally for Infantino.

Egypt, home to the Confederation of African Football headquarters, continues to be one of Infantino's strongest institutional allies in Africa.

This relationship is strengthened by the influence of Hany Abo Rida, a Fifa Council member and one of the continent's most prominent football administrators, who has maintained close ties with Infantino since his election in 2016.

During Infantino's presidency, Egypt has benefited from Fifa's Forward programme, which has funded infrastructure projects, youth development, coach education, and women's football.

Like other African member associations, the Egyptian Football Association has also received increased development funding under Fifa's expanded investment strategy, while new and expanded football competitions have created additional commercial and sporting opportunities.

However, support for Infantino in Egypt is accompanied by rising expectations. Officials and observers increasingly argue that Fifa's engagement with Africa should extend beyond financial aid. Greater emphasis is being placed on good governance, transparency, sustainable football development, and granting Caf more autonomy to shape the continent's own priorities.

Reporting by Mohamed Alkaaoud in Cairo.

The Congolese Football Federation (Fecofa) welcomed Infantino's decision to withdraw the controversial Forward Enterprise proposal, calling it "wise" in a statement earlier this month.

Highlighting a decade of work promoting football worldwide—and particularly his support for African nations—the federation emphasized that this episode should not overshadow Infantino's broader record.

Fecofa stressed that the episode, born of good intentions, should not overshadow Infantino's wider record. It pointed to his decade of work promoting football worldwide, and particularly his support for African federations and those with fewer resources.

The federation stated it had "greatly benefited" from Fifa's programmes, citing investment in development and infrastructure.

The declaration was signed by Véron Mosengo‑Omba, who was elected president of Fecofa in May 2026. His election concluded a period of uncertainty following the resignation of Constant Omari Selemani in 2021 and the subsequent Fifa‑appointed Normalisation Committee established in April 2023.

Mosengo‑Omba assured Infantino of Fecofa's "full support" beyond 2027, recalling mandates renewed in Paris in 2019 and Kigali in 2023. The statement underscores Congo's alignment with Fifa leadership at a time when divisions remain sharp elsewhere in world football.

Reporting by Emery Makumeno.

Nigeria first qualified for the Fifa World Cup finals in 1994.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has largely adopted a supportive stance towards Infantino's leadership, despite broader global backlash.

For a football federation grappling with chronic funding constraints and immense infrastructure needs, Infantino's proposed plans would have been difficult to dismiss.

Amaju Pinnick, former President of the NFF and deputy chairman of Fifa's Men's National Teams Competitions Committee, argued that Infantino's plan would provide a much-needed financial boost to every member association without over-relying on local governments.

Nigeria is eligible for up to $8 million (£5.95 million) in current Fifa Forward funding, despite failing to qualify for the last two men's World Cup tournaments.

The most prominent Forward project currently underway in Nigeria is the redevelopment of the NFF Technical Centre in Abuja. This project, funded with approximately $4.88 million, includes the reconstruction of training pitches and the construction of a modern accommodation complex for Nigeria's national teams.

Reporting by Emmanuel Akindubuwa.

Gayton McKenzie, the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture of South Africa, posted on X, stating that Infantino had been "very good to African football."

"Africa should be cautious in joining the public lynching of Infantino. He has been very good to African football.

"We can debate his ideas but let's not forget who has been a friend to us. Many of those calling for his head want the old status quo back too."

Speaking to the BBC after Infantino's proposal emerged, football officials from Malawi and Uganda stated that Fifa investment had transformed the game both on and off the pitch, arguing that such funding is vital given the financial realities facing many African nations.

"Malawi needs money. Malawi needs stadiums, our government cannot manage to give us even $1 million (£740,000) every year for football," Malawi FA president Fleetwood Haiya told BBC's Newsday programme.

"Our government is not able to make sure that they have medical supplies in hospitals [and] at the same time to look at football," he said.

Lamin Kaba Bajo, President of the Gambia Football Federation, told BBC Sport: "As far as I'm concerned, most of my colleagues are concerned, we'll encourage him [Infantino] to stay, and we'll do everything within our means to ensure that he is re-elected come next year, 2027.

"That's my personal opinion as president of the federation, and a good number of African memberships also stand on that line. He is here to stay."

However, support for the project on the continent was not universal. Isha Johansen, former Sierra Leone FA president and ex-Fifa Council member, was among African voices opposing it, warning that it risked over-commercializing football and asking, "what price does one have to pay in order to get to this elevated development for football in Africa?"

Johansen urged African football chiefs to carefully consider the game's future.

Last month, Caf president Patrice Motsepe lauded Infantino for his "excellent work" after this year's World Cup and hailed him as "a good friend."

"He is loyal to Africa," Motsepe said on 22 July. "When people have been loyal to you, you never stab them in the back."

Other nations have yet to comment publicly, including Senegal, whose men's team is the second-highest ranked African team behind Morocco.