Infantino pledges more resources for African football

Infantino has pledged to mobilise more resources for African football. The FIFA president says the organisation will continue investing on the continent, after having to put on hold a plan that included selling a stake in the World Cup. The proposal drew strong opposition from countries mainly located in Europe and North America; several later withdrew their support for Infantino in next year’s FIFA election.

In his remarks, Infantino also pointed to investment already made. “Through the FIFA Forward programme, we have invested one billion dollars in Africa over a period of 10 years, across 124 different projects and many other initiatives,” he said. He also reflected on the progress made since his election as FIFA president in 2016: “As FIFA president, I am proud to have contributed a little, together with you, to this revolution in African football over the past 10 years.”

Infantino presented continued backing as a way to support the game’s development across the continent. “Our commitment is to ensure that your football continues to improve and develop, and to offer you more opportunities. The participation of 10 African countries in the last World Cup was a success for the whole continent,” he said. He also pledged to seek the resources needed to take African football to the top of the global game.

Without directly referring to the proposed sale of stakes in FIFA competitions, Infantino called for open discussions on contentious issues. “When you embark on a journey, concerns sometimes arise. When they do, we have to address them. At FIFA, we always approach them in a spirit of dialogue, with open arms and open hearts and minds. We can always be better and do better,” he said.

The remarks came at a strategic seminar described as the first of its kind for African football. Presidents of all 54 national associations affiliated with the Confederation of African Football were expected to attend. The gathering also gave Infantino a platform to address more than a quarter of the voters ahead of next year’s FIFA election.