Asian football chief backs Infantino re-election bid after World Cup plan dispute

Gianni Infantino has received backing for another term as FIFA president from Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, BBC Sport reported on Friday. Speaking at the AFC Congress in Tokyo with Infantino present, Sheikh Salman pledged support for his re-election bid ahead of the presidential vote in Rabat in March.

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The endorsement follows a dispute over Infantino's failed proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors through the FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme. Two months earlier, Sheikh Salman joined the leaders of UEFA and Concacaf in a letter criticising the plan. According to the BBC report, the three confederations accused Infantino of deception and a breach of trust over the initiative.

In Tokyo, Sheikh Salman said he had spoken with members across Asia and described their support for Infantino as clear. He acknowledged the previous disagreements but said they should be separated from the question of backing the president for a new mandate. He also referred to recent meetings in Zurich, saying the discussions had produced an understanding between the two men.

Asia will have 46 votes in the election, compared with UEFA's 55 and Africa's 54, the BBC reported. Concacaf will have 35, Oceania 11 and South America's Conmebol 10. The Asian endorsement adds to Infantino's established support in Africa and South America as he seeks what the report describes as a fourth and final term. It does not, however, constitute an election result.

Potential challengers have until 18 November to confirm their candidacies. No opponent had filed at the time of the BBC report, leaving open the possibility that Infantino could stand unopposed. The deadline remains ahead, so the absence of a declared challenger does not yet establish that he will be the only candidate.

The earlier dispute also remains the subject of demands from UEFA. At a FIFA Council meeting last week, Infantino apologised for the World Cup proposal, but the BBC reported that he did not fully explain how it had been developed. UEFA has asked FIFA to release key documents and answer questions about governance and decision-making by 2 November.