The Union of Arab Football Associations has thrown its firm backing behind Fifa president Gianni Infantino, delivering a major boost to his re-election campaign ahead of the March 2027 vote.
The UAFA announcement, made following a meeting of its board of directors, significantly weakens the coalition of Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and Asia that has been pushing for Infantino’s removal.
The backing means the Asian Football Confederation can no longer count on 12 of its members to form a unified bloc vote against Infantino in the upcoming election.
Key nations including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE are among those now aligned with the Fifa president, and the AFC may fear further defections from its ranks.
“The Board of Directors of UAFA welcomed the recent steps taken by Fifa to ensure continued collaboration with national, regional, and continental football associations,” the body said in its statement.
“The UAFA also reaffirmed its support and appreciation, in the coming period, for Fifa president Gianni Infantino, who over a decade strengthened unity across the global football community, further developed and grew the game, and expanded its global reach in a way that serves the interests of all stakeholders and meets the aspirations of players and fans around the world.”
Infantino has carefully cultivated his influence across the Arab world through Fifa’s collaboration with Qatar, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia on the hosting of successive men’s World Cups in 2022, 2030, and 2034.
His personal connections to the region run deep, as his wife is Lebanese and he speaks Arabic fluently, reinforcing his standing among Arab football officials.
UAFA is headed by Saudi prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, has its headquarters in Riyadh, and comprises 12 Asian nations and 10 African nations including Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia.
Infantino has also fractured the Concacaf vote by securing support from Mexico and Caribbean nations including Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, while he retains the backing of Caf, Conmebol, and OFC.
That leaves Uefa as the only continental confederation still united in its opposition to Infantino extending his decade-long reign at the head of world football’s governing body.
No rival candidate has yet stepped forward to challenge Infantino, and time is running short before the declaration deadline in mid-November.
His leadership has also faced broader challenges from Europe’s top football leagues and global player union Fifpro over Fifa’s unilateral decisions on World Cup and Club World Cup expansion, as well as the wider football calendar.
Last month, Infantino attempted to dampen dissent over his plans to sell minority stakes in Fifa’s tournament business to private investors, writing to stakeholders to promise an external review of governance.
With opposition fracturing across multiple confederations, Infantino’s grip on the Fifa presidency looks considerably stronger than his critics would have hoped entering this crucial period.