Gianni Infantino has received fresh backing from Arab football as several European associations distance themselves from his bid for re-election as FIFA president. The Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) renewed its support for him following its 81st board meeting, held on Thursday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The statement strengthens his political position, although it does not represent an individual voting commitment from the organisation’s 22 member associations.
The meeting was chaired by Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal. In its statement, UAFA welcomed FIFA’s latest steps to strengthen cooperation with national, regional and continental bodies, as well as their involvement in decisions on football development. It also praised Infantino’s contribution to unity within international football and the game’s expansion over the past decade.
Support from Arab football
The statement follows other public endorsements received by the FIFA president in the region. The Gulf Football Federation, which brings together eight national associations, expressed its support on September 29. Earlier, in August, six presidents of Arab associations, including those of Qatar and Morocco, had already publicly backed Infantino.
The significance of the Jeddah announcement should be understood in that context: it reflects the position of UAFA’s board and gives Infantino a further institutional endorsement amid the debate over his future in office. The statement does not set out electoral commitments from each member association, nor does it mean that all 22 members can be counted as guaranteed votes.
Switzerland withdraws the support it pledged in June
The move coincides with the Swiss Football Association’s decision to withdraw the support it announced in June for Infantino’s candidacy. Its central committee agreed on the change on September 25 and made it public on September 30, following a review of developments in recent months. The association questioned FIFA’s leadership, transparency and decision-making processes, with specific references to the Balogun case and the FIFA Forward Enterprise project.
Swiss FA president Peter Knäbel acknowledged that the measures announced by FIFA in its September 21 letter could help clarify what had happened. However, he said essential questions remained unanswered about responsibilities and how decisions had been made. The association remained willing to work with FIFA but concluded that the conditions required to maintain its support for the candidacy were no longer in place.
