Gianni Infantino has secured a significant boost for his FIFA presidential re-election bid with the official endorsement from the Caribbean Football Union, highlighting the impact of increased financial aid and development programs on securing crucial regional support.
Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
Key Points
- The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) announced on Friday its endorsement of Gianni Infantino for another term as FIFA president in the March election.
- Infantino’s recent trips to the Caribbean and FIFA’s plan to increase financial contributions to member associations from USD 10 million to USD 25 million significantly boosted his reelection prospects.
- FIFA has also invested in development initiatives like the FIFA Forward program, with Infantino announcing on Thursday a $5.3 million investment in Aruba for artificial turf pitches.
- The CFU’s support comes despite lingering controversy over Infantino’s aborted World Cup investment plan, with the union calling for increased transparency, good governance, and meaningful reform.
- This endorsement marks the second major voting bloc, after the Asian Football Confederation, to publicly back Infantino, bringing him closer to a majority among FIFA’s 211 member federations.
The Caribbean Football Union announced on Friday it will endorse Gianni Infantino for another term as FIFA president in the election in March.
CFU Endorsement Amidst Controversy
Infantino recently made two trips to the Caribbean, including this week, to secure the bloc’s support despite lingering controversy over his aborted World Cup investment plan.
“The CFU emphasizes that it determined its collective position through consultation with its member associations,” the organization said in a statement. “In this same spirit the CFU continues to call for increased transparency, good governance, and meaningful reform within the football family.”
The CFU has 31 member nations, 25 of which hold voting rights.
This marks the second major voting bloc to publicly declare its backing for Infantino. Last month, the Asian Football Confederation, which represents 47 member associations, endorsed him for another term.
The filing deadline for candidates is Nov. 18. The first challenger emerged when FIFA council member Kohzo Tashima – a colleague of Infantino for nearly 11 years – announced on Thursday he intends to run for president.
Financial Support Fuels Re-election Bid
Infantino’s reelection prospects have been significantly boosted by FIFA’s plan to increase financial contributions to member associations from USD 10 million to USD 25 million, a substantial figure for smaller Caribbean nations.
Beyond direct financial support, FIFA won favor with the countries through investments in development initiatives like the FIFA Forward program. On Thursday, Infantino announced a $5.3 million investment in Aruba to build seven artificial turf pitches at clubs across the island.
“For CFU member associations, many of which continue to operate with limited financial and human resources, these programs have contributed to efforts to strengthen football development and create opportunities across the region,” the statement added.
An Associated Press tally published last month indicated that Infantino – even before the CFU’s endorsement – was already closing in on a majority among FIFA’s 211 member federations.
Past Controversies And Future Expectations
Infantino’s leadership of FIFA has come under intense scrutiny since July, when his secretive plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors including Josh Kushner was revealed in media reports.
A global backlash, including by senior FIFA executives, saw Infantino drop the project within days.
“The CFU offers its support with the expectation that FIFA will continue to strengthen accountability, uphold the highest standards of governance, and pursue the reforms necessary to ensure that every member association is fairly represented and served,” the statement added.
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