African Football Confederation Backs Infantino Amid Global Revolt

CAF represents 54 of FIFA’s 211 member associations, serving as a critical pillar of support for Infantino since his 2016 inauguration. This diplomatic lifeline follows intense backlash against the FIFA president’s aborted plan to sell commercial rights to future World Cups. While UEFA and other global bodies have pushed for radical change, CAF president Patrice Motsepe praised Infantino’s history of investment in the continent, framing the relationship as one of personal and professional loyalty.

Despite the show of solidarity, Motsepe signaled a pragmatic shift, emphasizing that CAF expects a more rigorous adherence to governance and transparency moving forward. Key figures including Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa and Egypt’s Hany Abo Rida have publicly aligned themselves with the president, providing a buffer against the widespread condemnation emerging from other regions. By endorsing the joint update from Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, the African confederation has effectively signaled its preference for internal reform over the leadership vacuum demanded by FIFA's critics.