Now Reading: Malawi FA chief backs Infantino for FIFA president amid pressure
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Malawi FA chief backs Infantino for FIFA president amid pressure
Malawi Football Association president Fleetwood Haiya has publicly backed Gianni Infantino for a third term as FIFA president, crediting his investment in African football for the country's historic qualification for the 2027…
The Story in Brief
Malawi Football Association president Fleetwood Haiya has publicly backed Gianni Infantino for a third term as FIFA president, crediting his investment in African football for the country's historic qualification for the 2027 Women's World Cup. Malawi reached the semi-finals of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, securing their first World Cup berth. Haiya told Reuters he was "not shaken" in his loyalty to Infantino, saying he believes in equal opportunity for smaller associations. Haiya also supported the decision to scrap Infantino's controversial proposal to raise $4.2 billion by selling a stake in FIFA's commercial rights, but insisted any replacement plan must still provide meaningful financial support to weaker federations. Malawi becomes the latest nation to endorse Infantino, joining Argentina and Egypt, with the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative pits Infantino as either a saviour of small football nations or a power-hungry administrator. Malawi's qualification is real progress, but backing for his $4.2 billion commercial rights plan was dropped amid criticism. The question is not whether smaller federations benefit, but whether Infantino's leadership model concentrates too much power. The March 2027 election will show if tangible development outweighs governance concerns.
Sources (2): indiatoday.in, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
