Gianni Infantino has received the collective support of the Arab football world, with the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) endorsing the FIFA president ahead of the organisation’s election in March 2027.
The UAFA, which represents 22 member countries, announced its position after a meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In a statement, the union said Infantino could count on its support.
The decision comes as Infantino’s position continues to generate significant debate within football. The backing confirms the support of Arab countries across both Africa and Asia, although the stance of some Arab Asian nations had previously been less clear.
The UAFA’s members are Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Support for Infantino had already been known among the Arab-African countries. However, there had been no clear indication that every Arab Asian member of the union shared that position.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has distanced itself from Infantino, although not all of its Asian member countries agreed with that decision.
The FIFA presidential election is scheduled to take place in March 2027. Infantino is currently the only person to have declared a candidacy for the position.
FIFA has repeatedly said it is looking for another candidate to enter the contest. The governing body has not identified who that person might be.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF), along with several African countries acting individually, supports Infantino’s continuation as FIFA president. UEFA and a number of European countries, however, are opposed to the Swiss remaining in charge of world football’s governing organisation.
