Top Africa football leaders back Infantino after FIFA selloff scandal

A $60B Vote of Confidence

The recent scandal surrounding FIFA's plan to sell a stake in future World Cup revenue has left many questioning the leadership of President Gianni Infantino. However, top African football leaders have come out in support of Infantino, welcoming his decision to abandon the project and praising him for his support of African football. This move is significant, as the continent's 54 members have been instrumental in Infantino's election success in 2016. African countries have long struggled financially, and Infantino's promises to more than double development money dispensed to FIFA's member associations have been a major factor in his popularity among African members. The largesse has helped keep Infantino popular among African members, many of whom struggle financially and now largely depend on FIFA money to compete. "Our problem is how to obtain money. Right now, we have no sponsors. So how do we compete? The richest nations can train players, have infrastructure and equipment, and it's no coincidence that they then achieve results," said Said Ali Athouman, the president of the Comoros Football Federation. "Our government is not able to make sure that they have medical supplies in hospitals and at the same time to look at football. Malawi needs money. Malawi needs stadiums," added Fleetwood Haiya, president of the Football Association of Malawi. FIFA baseline funding guarantees each of its 211 member associations $8m over a four-year cycle, plus CAF also now offers an annual grant to its members. Gifting grants to member associations was first floated by Infantino's predecessor, Sepp Blatter, when he stood for election against Lennart Johansson in 1998, and he won with backing from most African countries, who had never before received financial help from world football's governing body, even though CAF formally endorsed the Swede, who was then UEFA president. Infantino continued Blatter's idea, although he renamed it from the Goal Project to FIFA Forward, and exponentially increased the monies. Motsepe was effusive in his praise for Infantino days before the World Cup selloff scandal broke. "I personally support Gianni Infantino," he said. "He's not just a good friend. He's a loyal friend. He's loyal to Africa. I come from a background where when people have been loyal to you, you never stab them in the back."