Gianni Infantino is actively working to secure his position following urgent discussions with key officials in Rabat on Wednesday.
Under significant scrutiny, the FIFA president has spent the past week in Morocco, where he participated in celebrations for Throne Day, commemorating King Mohammed VI’s 27 years on the throne. He is scheduled to depart for Colombia on Thursday to witness the inauguration of the new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, in Cali.
On Wednesday evening, Infantino attended a match for the Women’s African Cup of Nations at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat, accompanied by FIFA’s secretary general, Mattias Grafström. Their joint appearance followed revelations that Grafström had described the FIFA Forward Enterprise as a “sad and reproachable series of events” in a recent email to staff.
Infantino’s trip to Africa and South America comes amid controversy regarding FIFA’s proposal to sell 21% of World Cup rights. The Confederation of African Football and Conmebol have not aligned with the UEFA-led opposition to this initiative and continue to express their support for Infantino.
Infantino aims to leverage Morocco’s influence to strengthen his support in the Middle East, a region expected to play a critical role in the upcoming vote for his re-election set for March.
Unlike CAF and Conmebol, the Asian Football Confederation does not operate as a unified voting bloc, prompting Infantino to seek individual endorsements from various countries. This is particularly important if UEFA and the North American confederation, Concacaf, succeed in nominating a challenger for the presidential election during FIFA’s congress in Rabat next year.
Details from Wednesday’s meeting remain sparse, but it was attended by FIFA’s general secretary, Mattias Grafström, and chief legal officer, Emilio García Silvero, emphasizing Infantino’s commitment to continue his efforts.
According to The Times, Infantino has reportedly assured Morocco that they will host the 2030 World Cup final, which they will co-host with Spain and Portugal, in exchange for their support in rallying other nations. However, FIFA has since refuted this claim.
“It is false and misleading to assert that the FIFA president has made any commitments regarding the hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2030 final,” FIFA stated. “A decision will be made by FIFA in due course.”
