The apparent split is not a final election count, but it has changed the political outlook for FIFA’s president. Whether opponents can unite behind one challenger may matter more than the current headline numbers.
Gianni Infantino faces divided support and opposition among FIFA members as he seeks re-election, with 124 of FIFA’s 210 voting member associations assessed as opposing him, 73 supporting him and 13 undecided. The Split Among FIFA Members emerged after backlash over Infantino’s abandoned plan to sell stakes in World Cup and other competitions to private investors.
The fluid tally, assessed by BBC Sport, has cast doubt on Infantino’s expected FIFA re-election and changed a race that only recently appeared to lack a serious contest. But a larger apparent opposition bloc does not automatically mean a leadership change: the decisive issue is whether those associations can settle on one credible rival.
The numbers are not a final count
The 124-73 assessment is a snapshot of a fast-moving political dispute, not a formal election result or a complete public declaration from every national association.
BBC Sport’s country-by-country accounting draws on a mix of public positions, direct responses from associations and, in some cases, the stated position of a continental confederation. That means the current map should be read as an indication of shifting alliances rather than a settled whip count.
The distinction matters because individual associations hold the votes. A confederation can take a strong collective stance while some of its members continue to support Infantino, remain uncommitted or decline to say publicly where they stand.
That is why the 13 undecided associations carry unusual weight. Their eventual choices, along with any movement by members now counted with a regional bloc, could quickly reshape the apparent balance.
A commercial plan became a trust test
The immediate catalyst was a proposal to sell private-investor stakes in FIFA’s most valuable competitions, including the World Cup. The plan was abandoned, but the dispute did not end with its withdrawal.
Instead, the episode became a broader argument about whether FIFA’s leadership had been sufficiently open with its members about decisions involving marquee competitions and future revenues.
UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation joined in a letter accusing Infantino and FIFA of breaking trust “through deception” over the investment proposal. Their intervention moved the debate beyond a single business plan and toward a direct challenge to the president’s standing.
Together, those three confederations account for 136 associations: 55 in UEFA, 46 in the AFC and 35 in Concacaf. Yet their combined total should not be confused with 136 confirmed votes against Infantino.
Regional criticism has clear limits
England and Wales have formally withdrawn letters supporting Infantino that they had submitted in connection with next year’s election. Other associations, however, have drawn a narrower line between supporting criticism of the proposal and explicitly seeking his removal.
The United States and Canada, for example, supported Concacaf’s latest statement but had not publicly declared that they wanted Infantino out. That difference could become crucial once the campaign moves from public dissatisfaction to a private ballot.
There are also visible breaks inside the AFC, despite the confederation’s role in the joint letter. Bhutan, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates have backed Infantino. Mexico has similarly supported him while breaking from the wider Concacaf direction.
Infantino also retains meaningful support in Africa and South America. FIFA’s member-development spending since he took office roughly a decade ago has helped build goodwill among associations that have received funding and support through programs including FIFA Forward, which has distributed billions of dollars for football projects.
Asia and Oceania could swing it
The AFC is the most consequential unsettled bloc. Its 46 votes are large enough to alter the contest if its members move decisively toward either Infantino or a challenger.
Saudi Arabia’s position is particularly closely watched. It had not taken a public stance in the BBC Sport assessment, while its football leadership was due to hold elections in August. Saudi Arabia was awarded the 2034 World Cup during Infantino’s presidency, adding broader significance to its eventual direction.
Oceania is still consulting its members as well. The Oceania Football Confederation said it began that process on July 30 and expected a position after an executive committee meeting in Fiji.
Its 11 votes are comparatively small, but they could matter in a tight contest. The uncertainty offers neither camp a guaranteed advantage: Infantino can still rebuild support, while opponents must convert objections to the abandoned investment plan into backing for a new leader.
Election rules favor a united challenger
If only two candidates run, the winner needs a simple majority of 106 votes from the 210 eligible associations. Nepal is FIFA’s 211th member but is suspended and does not currently have voting rights.
If three or more candidates enter, a candidate needs two-thirds of the vote to win in the first round. If no one reaches that mark, the election proceeds to a second round, where a simple majority is enough.
Those rules mean that opposition numbers alone do not resolve the race. A divided field could work to Infantino’s advantage even if a large number of associations remain unhappy with his leadership. One broadly backed opponent would create a much clearer referendum on his tenure.
No challenger had formally declared at the time of the BBC report. Candidates have until November to announce their intention to run, leaving time for alliances to harden, unravel or be reorganized.
A council push looks harder
There is a separate route that could end Infantino’s tenure before an election: an emergency FIFA Council meeting seeking his resignation. It must be held within two weeks if 19 of the 37 council members demand it.
That is a difficult threshold because the council reflects many of the same regional divisions playing out across FIFA’s membership. It includes nine UEFA representatives, seven from the AFC, six from Africa, five each from Concacaf and South America, three from Oceania, plus Infantino and FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom.
For now, an electoral challenge appears more plausible than a council effort. The key unresolved question is whether UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC can agree on a candidate, rather than simply agree that trust in FIFA’s leadership has been damaged.
The current count shows that Infantino is no longer moving comfortably toward another term. It does not yet show that his opponents have assembled the coalition needed to defeat him.
Leave a Reply