Asia football body back Infantino for fourth FIFA term
- Di Asian Football Confederation don endorse Gianni Infantino re-election as FIFA president for one congress inside Tokyo.
- Di backing reverse Asia criticism two months ago about im plan to sell World Cup commercial stakes to private investors.
- No rival don declare for di March vote inside Rabat, Morocco, and nominations close on November 18.
Di Asian Football Confederation (AFC) don throw dia weight behind Gianni Infantino push for fourth term as FIFA president, one boost for di incumbent before di vote in March.
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa make di pledge at di confederation congress in Tokyo, with Infantino inside di room. He tell delegates say Asia dey commit fully to supporting Infantino new mandate.
Di endorsement na turnaround. Two months ago, Sheikh Salman join di heads of UEFA and CONCACAF for one joint letter wey condemn Infantino over one plan to sell stakes in di World Cup to private investors. Di letter talk say trust don break and question di judgement behind di proposal.
On Friday, Sheikh Salman ask members to leave that dispute behind. He talk say he don speak to many associations across di continent and dia support for Infantino clear. He describe Asia as one family ready to move forward together.
Infantino talk say he feel great about di backing. He praise Sheikh Salman 13 years wey he lead Asian football and promise FIFA continued partnership with di confederation.
Why e matter for African football
Africa governing body, di Confederation of African Football (CAF), don already back Infantino, and South America CONMEBOL dey largely supportive. Asia 46 votes now dey for him column too, according to di public positions of di confederations.
Di numbers at di March election in Rabat, Morocco: UEFA 55 votes, Africa 54, Asia 46, CONCACAF 35, Oceania 11 and CONMEBOL 10. Confederations no dey vote as blocs, so individual associations fit still go dia own way.
For Nigerian fans, di presidency dey shape how FIFA dey share money for development, pitches and competitions across di continent. Infantino don propose to raise worldwide football development funding by $3.4 billion (£2.6 billion).
He don also apologise to FIFA Council for how he handle di abandoned World Cup investment plan, without giving full account of how dem put am together.
Wetin happen next
UEFA don give FIFA until November 2 to release key documents and answer questions about im governance and decision-making.
Candidates wey wan challenge Infantino must confirm by November 18. Nobody don come forward so far, and possible contenders Victor Montagliani of CONCACAF and Aleksander Ceferin of UEFA don talk say dem no dey run, leaving open di chance say Infantino go stand unopposed.
