FIFA President Gianni Infantino has received strong support from African football leaders for his re-election at a congress in March. The decision is a major boost for the candidacy of the Swiss with Italian roots, reports „Reuters“.
Infantino met with the presidents of African football federations during a conference in Cape Verde. The forum was the first-ever strategic symposium on the development of African football and brought together representatives of more than a quarter of the 211 federations that will have the right to vote in the FIFA presidential election.
The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, told delegates that all 54 members of the organization were behind Infantino.
“There is a unanimous decision by the 54 member associations of CAF to unconditionally support Gianni as FIFA president“, Motsepe said.
He cited Infantino's attitude towards African football and the help that the president of the world football headquarters has provided to the continent as the reason for the support.
The support from Africa comes just a day after former Swiss international Ramon Vega announced his intention to run for FIFA president. He will thus face his compatriot Infantino in next year's elections.