World Cup 2034 hosts Saudi Arabia back Infantino amid FIFA crisis
Saudi football federation says it supports Infantino’s ’efforts’ as he garners support to remain in power as president.
Saudi Arabia, hosts of the World Cup 2034, have thrown their support behind embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino as he continues to face criticism over the collapse of the governing body’s controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) welcomed FIFA’s acknowledgement of mistakes, its apology and the decision to scrap the proposal, while calling for direct dialogue among football’s stakeholders to restore unity.
“At this time, SAFF supports the continued efforts of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA’s leadership to restore unity across the football family and continue growing the game for the benefit of all,” the federation said.
Saudi Arabia’s backing is significant given its expanding role in world football.
The kingdom’s Public Investment Fund partnered with FIFA for the 2025 Club World Cup and was also an official supporter in North America and Asia of this year’s World Cup, underscoring the kingdom’s growing ties with the global governing body.
“The past three editions of the FIFA World Cup have demonstrated what football can achieve when its global family works together,” the federation said in a statement.
“The FIFA President’s contribution to growing the game worldwide over almost a decade should also be recognised.”
SAFF urged FIFA leaders to hold “direct face-to-face dialogue … with all concerns addressed openly”.
Infantino has not called a meeting of his 37-member FIFA Council, which includes Saudi official Yasser Al Misehal, and instead met with most of his FIFA management team in Rabat, Morocco, three weeks ago.
The FIFA president is up for re-election for a fourth term next March. He has been widely criticised since tabling a now abandoned proposal to sell off a 20 percent stake in a commercial body for FIFA tournament rights, with several countries withdrawing their support for his candidacy.
The Swiss-Italian administrator is under pressure from three confederations to resign, including UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, which represents North and Central America and the Caribbean.
The regional governing bodies have discussed a potential vote of no confidence in Infantino.
Infantino, who retains support from the African and South American confederations, has sought to sideline the confederations and appeal directly to individual members.
Italy became the latest national federation to withdraw its support, saying its decision was “intended to clearly and transparently express the FIGC’s position… regarding the recent initiatives promoted by the FIFA president concerning the governance and development of international competitions”.
However, European football body UEFA, which had threatened to pull out of the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, said it would formally withdraw its threat to boycott FIFA competitions after receiving assurances that Infantino’s failed sell-off plan will not be revived.