For now, beleaguered Fifa president Gianni Infantino still has some allies in world football, particularly in parts of the world where less well-off football associations have benefited from his presidency. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.
Infantino's position has been under scrutiny since his controversial plan to sell stakes in Fifa's global competitions to private investors was scrapped having been opposed by some regional governing bodies. Late on Thursday, the executive committee of the African confederation (Caf) unanimously confirmed its support for Infantino, after leading African football administrators sent messages backing him.
Five of the seven African countries on the Fifa Council - Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania and Comoros - have already supported him publicly. Support from the continent largely stems from Fifa's Forward programme, a funding scheme Infantino introduced in 2016 that many African federations have become increasingly reliant on to fund football projects in areas where commercial and government investment in the sport is limited.
Morocco
Morocco's rise as one of Africa's football success stories has largely been driven by government funding, but the country has also become a key partner for Fifa. Morocco's capital, Rabat, is home to Fifa's Africa regional office, they have hosted Fifa Club World Cups, a women's U17 World Cup and will co-host the men's 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.
Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) president Fouzi Lekjaa reaffirmed his support for Infantino after he withdrew the controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal last week. In a statement, Lekjaa described Infantino's decision to withdraw it as "wise", adding it put the unity of Fifa's 211 member associations first. Infantino also received the backing of senior football executives at a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday.
Egypt
Egypt is home to the Confederation of African Football headquarters and remains one of Infantino's strongest institutional allies in Africa. The relationship is reinforced by the influence of Hany Abo Rida, a Fifa Council member and one of the continent's most prominent football administrators, who has maintained close ties with Infantino since his election in 2016.
During Infantino's presidency, Egypt has benefited from Fifa's Forward programme, which has funded infrastructure projects, youth development, coach education and women's football. Like other African member associations, the Egyptian Football Association has also received increased development funding under Fifa's expanded investment strategy.
But support for Infantino in Egypt is accompanied by growing expectations. Officials and observers increasingly argue that Fifa's engagement with Africa should extend beyond financial assistance. Greater emphasis is being placed on good governance, transparency, sustainable football development and giving Caf more room to shape the continent's own priorities.
Democratic Republic of Congo
The Congolese Football Federation (Fecofa) has welcomed Infantino's decision to withdraw the controversial Forward Enterprise proposal, calling it "wise" in a statement earlier this month. Pointing to a decade of work promoting football worldwide - and in particular his support of African nations - the federation stressed that the episode should not overshadow Infantino's wider record.
Fecofa stressed that the episode, born of good intentions, should not overshadow Infantino's wider record. It pointed to his decade of work promoting football worldwide, and particularly his support for African federations and those with fewer resources. The federation said it had "greatly benefited" from Fifa's programmes, citing investment in development and infrastructure.
The declaration was signed by Véron Mosengo‑Omba, elected president of Fecofa in May 2026. His election ended a period of uncertainty following the resignation of Constant Omari Selemani in 2021 and the subsequent Fifa‑appointed Normalisation Committee established in April 2023. Mosengo‑Omba assured Infantino of Fecofa's "full support" would continue beyond 2027, recalling mandates renewed in Paris in 2019 and Kigali in 2023. The statement underlines the Democratic Republic of Congo's alignment with Fifa leadership at a time when divisions remain sharp elsewhere in world football.
Nigeria
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has largely aligned itself towards a supportive stance for Infantino's leadership, despite the wider backlash globally. For a football federation facing chronic funding constraints and enormous infrastructure needs, Infantino's proposed plans would have been difficult to dismiss.