Six Arab Football Associations Back FIFA President Gianni Infantino

Another crack appeared in the Asian Football Confederation’s stance against Gianni Infantino on Thursday, when the heads of six Arab national associations threw their support behind the embattled Fifa president.

Among those publicly supporting the game’s top official after his failed plan to sell off the World Cup plunged football into crisis, were 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar and 2030 co-hosts Morocco.

Infantino, who is seeking re-election next year, has faced open revolt after three confederations – Uefa, the AFC ‌and Concacaf – called for him to quit over his aborted bid to bring private investment into Fifa competitions, including the World Cup.

The Swiss administrator had proposed carving off the commercial rights to the World Cup and selling 20 per cent to private investors to raise about US$4.2 billion.

“Recognising the important role of Arab football in ⁠bringing people together and strengthening cooperation among football associations across the Arab world, we … ‌express our full support for Mr Gianni Infantino, president of Fifa, and reaffirm our confidence in his leadership and continued commitment to ‌the development of football worldwide,” the heads of the six federations said ⁠in a joint ⁠statement.

The statement was signed by the head of the national federation of ⁠Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, as well as Hany Abo Rida, head of Egypt’s football federation and the heads of the Lebanese, Moroccan, Sudanese and Mauritanian ‌federations.