SANTA MARIA: FIFA President Gianni Infantino promised further resources for Africa as he addressed football association presidents at a conference in Cape Verde on Thursday, a rare public speech since his bid to sell a stake in FIFA tournaments collapsed in July.
Infantino had to shelve his plan, which included selling a stake in the World Cup, after a backlash from mostly European and North American nations, many of which have withdrawn support for him at next year’s presidential elections.
He reminded the CAF presidents of the financial contribution FIFA has made to African football since he was elected in 2016.
“As FIFA president, I am proud to have contributed with you a little bit to this revolution (in African football) in the last 10 years,” Infantino said.
“With the FIFA Forward programme we have invested one billion dollars in 10 years in Africa, with 124 different projects and many other actions.”
Without referring directly to the failed bid to sell a stake in FIFA tournaments, Infantino spoke of wanting an open dialogue on matters of disagreement.
“When you go through a journey, sometimes concerns are raised,” he said. “When they are raised, we have to address them. As far as we are concerned at FIFA, we address them always with the spirit of dialogue and with open arms, an open heart and an open mind. We can always be better and do better.”
He reiterated his support for Africa and that FIFA would continue to invest in the continent.
“Our commitment is to make sure that your football is going to continue to improve and grow, and give you more opportunities. Ten countries at the (last) World Cup have been a success for the entire continent,” he said.
“We need to continue together on this path, because it is up to you as CAF to tell us what you want. How we can make you stronger and better.
“We will continue to look for the resources and the increases (in funding) that are necessary to boost the African game to the top of world football.”
BEHIND INFANTINO
African football president Patrice Motsepe later reiterated support for Infantino’s re-election bid.
“We took a resolution, unanimous, that we support him and we will stand by him for the next elections,” Motsepe said near the end of a long speech to a CAF strategy meeting, then called on delegates from the 54 national federations “to stand up and give Gianni a round of applause”.
After a pause, as those present slowly rose, Infantino, who had earlier given a speech, received a sustained standing ovation.
“One of the nations from Africa will win the World Cup,” Motsepe said. “But we’ve got to spend more investment in our academies, in our youth.” He said CAF’s partnership with Infantino was important.
“We can’t just keep talking very nicely, having these beautiful plans. We’ve got to invest.”
Motsepe also defended Infantino’s integrity and the way African football is run.
“If anybody has any allegation or any accusation against Gianni Infantino or me or any other president, go to the FIFA ethics committee.
“There are these suggestions that we don’t respect government, that we are not as committed to governance, to transparency, to ethics,” said Motsepe.
“For us, governance and ethics and transparency and due process is a matter of life and death. Because our people are looking at us and they’re saying to us in football, how do you conduct, how do you behave?”
VEGA TO STAND FOR FIFA PRESIDENCY
On Wednesday, former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega became the first person to announce his intention to run against Infantino in the FIFA presidential election.
Vega had considered running against Infantino following the resignation of Sepp Blatter in the wake of a corruption scandal in 2015.
And he tried to challenge his fellow Swiss in 2022, but failed to garner sufficient support to make it onto the ballot.
“The situation has evolved a lot since then,” Vega told AFP, adding FIFA’s member associations were “much more open to change” than when he previously sought to stand.
“I am standing because my life has prepared me to serve the game,” Vega added in an 11-page dossier announcing his candidacy. “I believe I have a duty and a social responsibility to protect and defend football — its integrity, its people and its future.”
It is not clear whether Vega would be able to stand.
He must first gain the backing of at least five of FIFA’s 211 member federations, but also be proposed by one of those.
And the rules stipulate that a candidate must have been involved in football for two of the previous five years and pass an eligibility review.
Potential candidates have until Nov 18 to meet those criteria.
Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2026
