Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation, announced his support for Gianni Infantino’s bid for a new term as FIFA president. He stressed that the Asian continent looks forward to strengthening cooperation and joint efforts to develop the game.
His remarks came during the Asian Football Confederation’s extraordinary general assembly in Tokyo, attended by Infantino. Sheikh Salman explained that their recent meetings in Zurich helped build a clear understanding, paving the way to move past previous disagreements and focus on the future.
The two sides had previously disagreed over a project to sell the commercial rights of FIFA tournaments to outside investors. However, the project was never implemented, and Infantino later apologized for shortcomings in communication and consultation regarding it.
A partnership to develop football
Sheikh Salman emphasized that football becomes stronger when federations work with a shared vision and a common goal. He also affirmed the unity of the Asian football family behind Infantino, after Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced their support for his candidacy.
For his part, the FIFA president praised Sheikh Salman’s work over thirteen years at the helm of the Asian Football Confederation. He affirmed the continuation of his support and FIFA’s partnership with the continental confederation, expressing his happiness with the Asian backing.
Infantino is preparing to run in the presidential election next March, seeking a fourth term that would extend until 2031. The deadline for submitting candidacy files ends on November 18.
In parallel, Infantino enjoys the support of African federations, while the European confederation is requesting clarifications on administrative matters, including the commercial project and the FIFA Peace Prize.
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