The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has endorsed Gianni Infantino for re-election as FIFA president, strengthening his campaign for a fourth term despite earlier criticism of his proposed plan to sell a stake in the commercial rights to FIFA competitions.
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa announced the decision on Friday, October 23, during the confederation’s extraordinary congress in Tokyo, Japan, where Infantino was also present.
“We reaffirm our full commitment, of course, to supporting you and your leadership as you seek a new mandate as FIFA president,” Sheikh Salman said.
The endorsement marks a shift from the AFC’s earlier position after it joined European football governing body UEFA and CONCACAF, which represents North and Central America and the Caribbean, in criticising Infantino’s proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative.
The plan involved creating a commercial entity to manage FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, and selling a stake to private investors. The proposal was estimated to be worth about US$4.2 billion before it was abandoned.
Infantino apologised to FIFA’s ruling council last week over mistakes made in developing the proposal and offered an independent review of the organisation’s decision-making processes.
The AFC’s backing adds to support from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which has also endorsed Infantino’s re-election bid.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, is seeking a fourth term in the election scheduled for March 2027. The deadline for rival candidates to submit their nominations is November 18, 2026.
The AFC has 47 member associations, whose votes could play an important role in determining the outcome of the election.
