Fifa President Gianni Infantino has received a major boost with Saudi Arabia, the host of the 2034 World Cup, publicly backing his bid to stay in power. This decision by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) follows Fifa's pledge to abandon its controversial plan to partly privatise the World Cup.
Infantino's position had been in crisis due to revelations about the World Cup sell-off proposal, which drew significant backlash and calls for his resignation across Europe, Asia, and America. The SAFF had remained silent for weeks during intense politicking.
Following a meeting today, the SAFF issued a statement welcoming Fifa's commitment to drop the sell-off and expressed faith in Infantino's leadership. The statement highlighted Infantino's contribution to growing the game globally and supported his efforts to restore unity within the football family.
The SAFF's decision to break ranks with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) could prove influential, as an alliance of Uefa, AFC, and Concacaf had appeared to give Infantino's critics the upper hand. Qatar and Mexico have also defied their confederations to support him, while he maintains broad support in Africa and South America.
Uefa is also expected to end its boycott of Fifa events after receiving assurances that the World Cup sell-off proposal will not be revived. The SAFF welcomed the acknowledgement of mistakes and the commitment to review processes, urging direct dialogue to address divisions and move football forward through unity.