FIFA’s Infantino touts global re-election support amid resignation questions

Support from Asian federation bolsters FIFA's Gianni Infantino as he seeks re-election as president for a fourth term.

Support from Asian federation bolsters FIFA’s Gianni Infantino as he seeks re-election as president for a fourth term. FIFA president Gianni Infantino laughed off questions about whether he had considered resigning in the wake of the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, pointing to overwhelming support from member associations around the globe. Three months after facing calls to resign after he abandoned the proposal that sought private investment in a new entity controlling commercial rights linked to major FIFA competitions, Infantino now finds himself in a position of strength. His prospects for re-election strengthened on Friday after the head of Asian football endorsed him for a fourth term, with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa saying Asia was united behind Infantino.

“I was elected by 211 member associations from all over the world. I think what is important is that in an organisation like FIFA, there can be different views, different points of view,” Infantino told the BBC as he laughed off a question about whether he had considered stepping down. “But if we are serious about democracy, about the democratic process, about believing that everyone has the same vote and the same voice all over the world, that football belongs to everyone … then we need to respect as well the views of the