Five African FIFA Council Members Back Infantino as $8 Million Funding Dependence Shapes Support
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Aug 6
Five African FIFA Council Members Back Infantino as $8 Million Funding Dependence Shapes Support
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Aug 6
Summary
Five of Africa’s seven FIFA Council members — Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania and Comoros — have publicly backed Gianni Infantino after he withdrew his private-investment plan.
Support is tied closely to FIFA’s Forward programme, launched in 2016, which many African federations rely on for infrastructure and development where commercial and state funding is limited.
Nigeria illustrates that dependence: it is eligible for up to $8 million in current Forward funding, including about $4.88 million for redeveloping the NFF technical centre in Abuja.
Morocco and DR Congo called Infantino’s withdrawal "wise," while Egypt’s backing comes with demands for more transparency, governance and a bigger role for CAF in setting African priorities.
CAF has not taken an official position, and some dissent remains, but several African officials are already talking up support for Infantino’s expected 2027 re-election bid.
Is FIFA's vital funding rescuing African football, or quietly buying unquestioning loyalty to shield its president from global governance controversies?
Could the collapse of FIFA's controversial privatization scheme actually leave African nations more dependent on Infantino's political machine than ever before?