Six Arab federations — including Qatar and Morocco — publicly back FIFA president Gianni Infantino

Six Arab national football associations — Qatar, Morocco, Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon and Sudan — issued a joint statement on Aug. 13 expressing “full support” for FIFA president Gianni Infantino after his controversial plan to bring private investment into FIFA competitions was abandoned amid a wider governance dispute.

What the federations said

The six federation heads said they “reaffirm our confidence in his leadership and continued commitment to the development of football worldwide” and praised Infantino’s work to “advance football globally, expand opportunities across all regions and strengthen the game’s role in bringing people and communities together.” The statement added that the signatories look forward to “continuing our close cooperation with him towards a stronger and more prosperous future for world football, expanding opportunities and further enhancing Arab football’s contribution to the global game.”

Who signed and why their votes matter

Reports identify the signatories as the presidents of the football associations of Qatar and Morocco along with Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon and Sudan. Multiple outlets named specific figures included among the supporters: Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (Qatar), Hany Abo Rida (Egypt), Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco) and Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania). Four of the six signatories are also members of the FIFA Council, a body that plays a central role in FIFA governance and influences debates within the organisation.

Context: the aborted private‑investment plan

Infantino had proposed creating a vehicle to sell a minority stake in the commercial rights tied to the World Cup — reports give the figure as around 20% — with an estimated raise of roughly US$4.2–4.2bn (several outlets cite similar amounts) or, in other coverage, a much larger US$20bn scheme connected to a wider subsidiary plan. The proposal included an immediate one‑off payment to member associations — widely reported as US$20m each in the short term — with the possibility of larger sums over the funding cycle if federations joined the deal. Facing strong opposition from major continental bodies, Infantino withdrew the proposal.

Regional and institutional split

The Arab federations’ public backing adds to signs that the global backlash against Infantino is not uniform across regions. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF issued an open letter criticising the way the private‑investment plan was handled; that letter described the episode as a “fundamental breach of trust” and called for independent review. Several national associations — including the Football Association of Ireland and others in the British Isles — subsequently rescinded earlier support for Infantino, citing concerns about governance and transparency.

At the same time, the statement from the six Arab federations shows that some national members, including those that sit inside AFC structures, moved to reaffirm support for Infantino. Commentators and multiple reports have noted that because FIFA operates on a one‑member, one‑vote system, the positions of individual national federations matter directly in any presidential contest: even when confederations publicly take a stance, their member associations may vote differently at an election.

Implications for the 2027/2028 presidential race

Infantino, who has served as FIFA president since 2016, is expected to seek re‑election at the next presidential vote. Coverage in the packet gives different timing for the election — some outlets report the vote will be held in March next year, while others state 2027 — and notes FIFA’s deadline for challengers to come forward (reported as Nov. 18 in some reports). Given the divided positions among confederations and national associations, analysts in the coverage warn that block voting by confederations is unlikely and that the outcome will depend on how individual federations cast their ballots.

What remains unresolved

• The precise scale and structure of the proposed commercial arrangement remain contested in reporting: some articles describe the plan as a 20% sale worth about US$4.2bn, while others frame it as part of a much larger US$20bn subsidiary scheme. Those discrepancies reflect different descriptions circulating in the coverage and have not been reconciled in the material provided.
• Sources differ on the exact date of the next presidential election in which Infantino is expected to stand. Some reports say March of the following year; others refer to 2027 and cite a November deadline for challengers. The packet does not contain an authoritative FIFA schedule to resolve these differences.
• While several national federation presidents are named in reporting, the federations’ joint statement published in the packet does not include verbatim signatures reproduced in full here; the article therefore attributes signatory names to the reporting outlets that listed them.

Timeline of events (from provided reporting)

1. Infantino proposed a private‑investment scheme involving World Cup commercial rights; reporting gives variations on size and structure.
2. The plan prompted immediate criticism from UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF, which published an open letter denouncing the handling of the proposal and calling for review.
3. Infantino withdrew the proposal amid the controversy; the withdrawal followed threats and public criticism from continental and national bodies.
4. On Aug. 13, six Arab national federations issued a joint statement expressing full support for Infantino.
5. Several national associations in Europe and elsewhere rescinded earlier support for Infantino around the same period.

What this means for the Middle East

For Middle Eastern football, the episode highlights the region’s growing institutional influence inside global football governance. Qatar and Morocco have both hosted or will co‑host recent World Cups, and their federation leaders occupy prominent roles in FIFA structures. The public backing signals that influential Arab members will play a visible part in determining FIFA’s leadership and the policy direction of the sport — particularly on commercial deals that touch on revenue distribution to smaller federations across the globe.

Bottom line

Six Arab federations have publicly backed Gianni Infantino after his withdrawn attempt to bring private investors into World Cup commercial rights fuelled a high‑profile dispute with major confederations. The bloc’s declaration underscores a split within FIFA’s membership between continental bodies that have demanded accountability and individual national associations that continue to support the president; how that division translates into votes at the next presidential election remains to be seen.

“We … express our full support for Mr Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, and reaffirm our confidence in his leadership and continued commitment to the development of football worldwide.” — joint statement attributed to the heads of the national federations of Qatar, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, Egypt and Mauritania (as reported).