Infantino Confirms Bid for Fourth Term as FIFA President, Backed by African and South American Confederations

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has formally confirmed his intention to run for a fourth term in office, with the support of two of football's major continental bodies. The announcement was made during the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, where Infantino addressed the 211 member associations.

"I'm honored and humbled at the same time, and I want to tell you first, the 211 member associations, I want to confirm to you that I will be a candidate for the election of FIFA president next year," Infantino said, according to remarks reported by TASS.

African and South American Support

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced its backing in a statement after a meeting held before the Vancouver Congress. CAF said it had "unanimously agreed" to support Infantino in the 2027 election, as reported by Africa News and Al Jazeera. The support from CAF comes shortly after South America's governing body, CONMEBOL, pledged its backing earlier in April, according to both outlets.

This support is significant given Africa's role in FIFA presidential elections. African voters now account for 54 of the 211 member federations, and have been considered a decisive voting bloc for decades, as noted in the reporting from Africa News.

Morocco to Host 2027 Congress

The next FIFA Congress will be held in Rabat, Morocco, on March 18, 2027, according to TASS and Africa News. This marks the second consecutive FIFA Congress in Africa, following the 2023 edition in Kigali, Rwanda, where Infantino was last re-elected, as highlighted by Africa News.

Morocco, a co-host of the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, has been a notable beneficiary of FIFA decisions during Infantino's tenure. The country opened FIFA's African regional office last year, and the Royal Moroccan football federation has also extended its support to Infantino, according to Africa News.

Financial and Governance Context

Infantino took over as FIFA president in 2016, following the corruption scandal that ousted his predecessor Sepp Blatter. He was re-elected in 2019 and 2023. Although FIFA's statutes limit presidents to three terms, Infantino is permitted to run again because his first partial term (2016–2019) was deemed not to count toward the total, as explained by Africa News.</br>

The reporting from Africa News also notes FIFA's strong financial position, with multi-billion dollar reserves boosted by the 2026 World Cup in North America. This allows FIFA to pay at least $8 million during the current presidential term to each voting member federation. Infantino earned more than $6 million from FIFA last year, according to the same report.

Infantino's public profile has included regular meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is overseeing preparations for the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, as reported by Africa News.

Perspectives

The announcement has so far drawn unanimous support from CAF and CONMEBOL, with no opposing candidates mentioned in the available reports. Al Jazeera's coverage quotes CAF's "unanimous" backing, while Africa News emphasizes Infantino's "inevitable" re-election, describing his bid as likely to go "unopposed." TASS's report focuses on Infantino's formal confirmation of his candidacy without mentioning any opposition.

Morocco's role as host of the 2027 FIFA Congress is framed by Africa News as part of the country's rise as a "major African football power," a development that has coincided with Infantino's presidency.