Infantino’s re-election as Fifa boss a ‘foregone conclusion’, says Asian football official

Gianni Infantino’s re-election as president of Fifa is “a foregone conclusion”, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) vice-president Hashem Haidar said on Monday.

Haidar, who is also president of the Lebanese Football Federation, said at the unveiling of a new Fifa Arena pitch in the village of Shanay near the town of Aley, east of Beirut, that “we fully and publicly support” the divisive head of the game’s global governing body.

Infantino, who was in Lebanon for Monday’s event, faced stinging criticism and calls to quit after his plan to sell off commercial interests in the World Cup came to light in July.