Gianni Infantino has looked like a man whose Fifa goose is cooked.
Yet football administrators are among the world’s great survivors and there have been other Fifa presidents who survived torrid periods and savage criticisms.
And one of Infantino’s closest allies, Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe, has shown his intent to do what he can to reduce the heat on the under-fire Fifa president.
The support Motsepe showed Infantino when addressing a press conference on a major increase in the prize money for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations starting in Morocco on Sunday was not an insignificant development, as parts of football have looked to go to war with the Fifa boss.
Many are angry and have lost faith in Infantino over his handling of what may turn out to be the most controversial Fifa World Cup in history — the 2026 tournament that ended with Spain’s victory against Argentina in Sunday’s final in New Jersey.
Gianni Infantino has been loyal to Africa, he’s been loyal to me. You need to have a president of Fifa who is as committed to African development and growth as Gianni Infantino is.
— Patrice Motsepe, Caf president
The tournament was a roaring financial success for Fifa, generating a record-breaking $15bn when the global body had originally projected $11bn.
That, plus the success on the field of the 48-team format, expanded from 32, appears to have been the basis for Motsepe thanking Infantino and Fifa for the “most successful Fifa World Cup in the history of the competition”.
However, that financial success comes amid the controversy over outlandish ticket pricing. Through 102 matches the median get-in price was $916 (R15,000). Tickets for the final averaged around R195,000.
The exceeding of the projected income was apparently due in large part to Fifa’s successful pushing of large-income hospitality packages, which further reduced accessibility for ordinary supporters of the sport, historically proudly called “the people’s game”.
The inaugural Fifa Peace Prize awarded to US President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December will go down as a stain in the ruling body’s history. Controversies during the tournament included Somali referee Omar Artan being denied entry into the US to officiate at the World Cup, the treatment of Iran’s national team, and the overturning of a suspension by Fifa for red-carded US player Folarin Balogun at the behest of Trump.
La Liga president Javier Tebas joined a list of major international figures, including Uefa executive committee members and 72 members of the European Parliament, who called for Infantino to step down.
Motsepe, a close ally of the Fifa president, pointed to the 48-team format incorporating 10 African teams, doubled from five, and said: “Gianni Infantino has been loyal to Africa, he’s been loyal to me. You need to have a president of Fifa who is as committed to African development and growth as Gianni Infantino is.”
Africa has the second-biggest voting representation for Fifa elections, 54 after Europe’s 55. With the continent having traditionally voted as a united bloc, that makes Africa’s support hugely influential for a presidential candidate.
Whether such support, if it pans out that way, can see Infantino re-elected amid the global sentiment against him at the 77th Fifa congress in Morocco on March 18 2027 remains to be seen. Motsepe, though, seems to have signalled where he will lay his cap.
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