Now Reading: Six Arab federations back Infantino amid World Cup backlash
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Six Arab federations back Infantino amid World Cup backlash
Six Arab football federations have declared 'full support' for FIFA President Gianni Infantino as he faces mounting criticism over a withdrawn $20 billion World Cup investment plan. The joint statement from Morocco,…
The Story in Brief
Six Arab football federations have declared 'full support' for FIFA President Gianni Infantino as he faces mounting criticism over a withdrawn $20 billion World Cup investment plan. The joint statement from Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon and Sudan praised Infantino's leadership and commitment to football development. Four of the signatories are FIFA Council members.
Infantino abandoned the proposal to sell World Cup stakes to private investors after fierce opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation, who called it a 'fundamental breach of trust'. The backing from Qatar and Lebanon exposes a split within the AFC, which had joined the criticism. The Football Association of Ireland also revoked its endorsement of Infantino's re-election, following similar moves by England and Wales, reports Mathrubhumi.
The Indian Opinion
The Arab support looks like a lifeline for Infantino, but it also highlights regional divides within football's governing bodies. Qatar and Lebanon siding with him against the AFC's official stance shows loyalty runs deeper than continental solidarity. Meanwhile, European federations are walking away. The real test is whether anyone steps forward as a challenger by the November 18 deadline. If no one does, the crisis may fizzle out, but the trust is already broken.
Sources (2): timesnownews.com, english.mathrubhumi.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
