The president of the Asian Football Confederation has thrown his support behind FIFA president Gianni Infantino's re-election bid, seeming to put aside concerns expressed after the 2026 World Cup.
Shortly after the successful tournament, Asian Football Confederation president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa signed on to letters written by UEFA and Concacaf leaders angry about Infantino's effort to invite private investment to take control of portions of the World Cup and other FIFA tournaments.
The FIFA president withdrew the proposal and has since apologized, and his attempts to make amends at the FIFA Council meeting earlier this month look to have been successful with the AFC president, who said that despite the summer disagreements his members would back the incumbent president.
“Gianni I want to make it clear. Yes, we had some issues we spoke about in the past. But let’s not relate the two things together," the AFC president said Friday, Oct. 23 at the AFC's Extraordinary Congress in Tokyo, according to the AP. "I think the last few days we met in Zurich you made it clear that there’s a true understanding between us.”
That understanding, he said, comes from Infantino's frequent visits to the region, with the president present at the congress and having been in Indonesia earlier this month to present the trophy at FIFA's first ASEAN Cup.
"I think that we reaffirm our full commitment, of course, to supporting you and your leadership as you seek a new mandate as FIFA president," Salman said. "I think you've visited a lot of countries in Asia. I've spoken to a lot of members within this continent. I know your feeling and I think your commitment is clear as well. Your support to Gianni is very clear."
When is the FIFA presidential election?
Infantino spoke after the AFC leader's endorsement, which comes after a similar move from the president of the Confederation of African Football, Patrice Motsepe, at a strategy conference in Cape Verde on Oct. 8.
"We have seen the transformation that Asian football, and as a consequence world football, has gone through in these years," Infantino said in Tokyo. "It has become truly global. It has become for everyone, and this would not have been possible without a strong, a united, a committed Asia. And for this, I thank you very much."
The election for FIFA president will take place in March 2027, but candidates must declare their interest and prove support from five member associations by Nov. 18 of this year. Thus far, only former Switzerland international Ramon Vega has declared his intent to oppose Infantino, though he has not shown the required support from MAs.
Between the CAF's 54 members and AFC's 47, the electoral math to win a majority of FIFA's 211 members would become difficult for any candidate hopeful of unseating Infantino.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Embattled FIFA president gets major endorsement in re-election bid