Saudi Arabia backs FIFA chief Gianni Infantino amid fallout from failed investment plan
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FIFA president Gianni Infantino (second from left), French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup at the Grand Palais in Paris on Aug 23.
PHOTO: AFP
- Saudi Arabia supports FIFA president Gianni Infantino despite criticism over the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal and welcomes FIFA's apology and decision to scrap the plan.
- Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has strengthened ties with FIFA through partnerships for the 2025 Club World Cup and support for the 2026 World Cup.
- Infantino faces pressure from UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF with calls for resignation and a possible no-confidence vote, but retains backing from African and South American confederations.
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Saudi Arabia, which will host the 2034 men’s World Cup, threw its support behind FIFA chief Gianni Infantino on Aug 27 as he continues to face criticism over the collapse of the governing body’s controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.
In a statement, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) welcomed FIFA’s acknowledgement of mistakes, its apology and the decision to scrap the proposal, while calling for direct dialogue among football’s stakeholders to restore unity.
“At this time, SAFF supports the continued efforts of FIFA president Gianni Infantino and FIFA’s leadership to restore unity across the football family and continue growing the game for the benefit of all,” the federation said in a statement on its website.
Saudi Arabia’s backing is significant given its expanding role in world football.
The kingdom’s Public Investment Fund partnered FIFA for the 2025 Club World Cup and also served as an official supporter in North America and Asia of the 2026 World Cup in North America, underscoring its growing ties with the global governing body.
“The past three editions of the FIFA World Cup have demonstrated what football can achieve when its global family works together,” the federation said in a statement.
“The FIFA president’s contribution to growing the game worldwide over almost a decade should also be recognised.”
Mounting pressure on Infantino
Infantino, up for re-election for a fourth term in March 2027, has been criticised since tabling a now abandoned proposal to sell off a 20 per cent stake in a commercial body for FIFA tournament rights, with several countries withdrawing their support for his candidacy.
The Swiss-Italian administrator is also under pressure to resign from three confederations – UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, which represents North and Central America and the Caribbean.
The regional governing bodies have discussed a potential vote of no confidence in Infantino, who is planning to seek re-election for a fourth term in March 2027 and is likely to face strong opposition.
Infantino, who retains support from the African and South American confederations, has sought to sideline the confederations and appeal directly to individual members. REUTERS